Privacy Issues with the Internet Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research

Privacy Issues with the InternetPrivacy has long been as baffling as the mythical initiation of Youth. Thevery idea of protect discipline about family stirs up ominousimages of powerful agencies stealing our individuality and even ouridentity. The fears about privacy have large(p) exponentially with the Web. But who are we protecting ourselves from? The g overnment? Not likely,at to the lowest degree in the Orwellian sense that most of us imagine it. opusCongress passes the laws and regulatory bodies enforce them, media instructionof late has been on the private sector, particularly commercialWebsites. Civil libertarians protests against tuition-collectingWebsites are enigmatic given that most of this information has alreadybeen available for years in libraries, in town halls, in departments ofmotor vehicles and from countless other places. Thus it should beunderstood that privacy is by and large an illusion. While the Lewinskytapes raised eyebrows, the media fanfare over the issue shows thatsomeone, somewhere, when you least expect it, get out place a higherpriority on something that compromises your privacy. Nevertheless, the increasing commodification of in-person information isworrisome to this author, particularly when the collectors lay out theirinformation wrong or draw incorrect conclusions from the data theyacquire. Already, some national pharmacies have tried to transmitinformation about their customers to marketers. (In at least one casethe pharmacy backed off after critics severely chastised them for theplan). No doubt other organizations will move to sell medical recordsto the highest bidder. What does this reckon to the public? ... ...we promise your privacy, we have someone who makessure we keep that promise. However, mevery other TRUSTe licensees provide more enormous privacystatements for visitors to scrutinize. Nevertheless, self-assurance and privacyguarantees dont amount cheap. Costs for TRUSTe licenses range from $299to almost $5,000, depending on the licensees corporate revenue. While$5,000 may non be a potbelly for a Microsoft, $299 is quite a blot for astart-up firm with no annual revenue. This license allows TRUSTeclients to showcase a mark of trust that could easily (but not legally)be copied and used by any Website developer who wants to capitalize ontrust. With all the trust-brokers on the Web, the question remainswhether buying trust is any less elusive than the Fountain of Youth.Moreover, one should ask, who is worthy of trust management? Privacy Issues with the Internet Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Privacy Issues with the InternetPrivacy has long been as elusive as the mythical Fountain of Youth. Thevery idea of protecting information about family stirs up ominousimages of powerful agencies stealing our individuality and even ouridentity. The fears about privacy have grown exponentially with the Web. But who are we protecting ourselves from? Th e government? Not likely,at least in the Orwellian sense that most of us imagine it. WhileCongress passes the laws and regulatory bodies enforce them, media focusof late has been on the private sector, particularly commercialWebsites. Civil libertarians protests against information-collectingWebsites are enigmatic given that most of this information has alreadybeen available for years in libraries, in town halls, in departments ofmotor vehicles and from countless other places. Thus it should beunderstood that privacy is largely an illusion. While the Lewinskytapes raised eyebrows, the media fanfare over the issue shows thatsomeone, somewhere, when you least expect it, will place a higherpriority on something that compromises your privacy. Nevertheless, the increasing commodification of personal information isworrisome to this author, particularly when the collectors get theirinformation wrong or draw incorrect conclusions from the data theyacquire. Already, some national pharm acies have tried to sellinformation about their customers to marketers. (In at least one casethe pharmacy backed off after critics severely chastised them for theplan). No doubt other organizations will move to sell medical recordsto the highest bidder. What does this mean to the public? ... ...we promise your privacy, we have someone who makessure we keep that promise. However, many other TRUSTe licensees provide more extensive privacystatements for visitors to scrutinize. Nevertheless, trust and privacyguarantees dont come cheap. Costs for TRUSTe licenses range from $299to almost $5,000, depending on the licensees corporate revenue. While$5,000 may not be a lot for a Microsoft, $299 is quite a bit for astart-up firm with no annual revenue. This license allows TRUSTeclients to showcase a mark of trust that could easily (but not legally)be copied and used by any Website developer who wants to capitalize ontrust. With all the trust-brokers on the Web, the question remainswh ether buying trust is any less elusive than the Fountain of Youth.Moreover, one should ask, who is worthy of trust management?