Target used the teenage girl's online data to uncover her pregnancy before her parents did, highlighting the alarming lack of privacy on the internet.
Concerns about the safety of our online activity arise from scenarios like this. The convenience of collecting large amounts of personal data has allowed for features like recommender systems and email filtering, but it also introduces potential risks. A closer look reveals that data has significantly influenced businesses, both positively saving them and negatively causing their downfall. Regrettably, immoral individuals exploit loopholes in our online system due to the absence of ethical and legal boundaries.
The erosion of privacy has been significantly influenced by the internet. This can be explained by the tradeoffs we encounter in our world. We may not consciously acknowledge it, but sacrifices need to be made for various reasons. One reason is the compromise of privacy i
...n exchange for security. The Patriot Act serves as an illustrative example, as it was enacted after the 9/11 attacks and anthrax incidents. This law allows "enhanced surveillance procedures" like intercepting wire, oral, and electronic communications for evidence gathering (Congress.gov). It is noteworthy that this act received bipartisan support, indicating Americans' willingness to surrender their privacy to feel safe.
Despite individuals' desire to maintain privacy, they often sacrifice it for trivial reasons such as projecting a desirable self-image. Social media has become the primary tool for this purpose, despite most Americans desiring more privacy. However, service providers collect and utilize users' personal data without hesitation. The Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan organization that informs the public about various issues, reveals the paradox where individuals express concerns about their privacy on social media while stil
using it. Additionally, research suggests that two-thirds of Americans want more protection on social media and current legislation lacks sufficient enforcement or guidelines for safeguarding privacy.
The rapid integration of technology into our lives has outpaced legal regulations, particularly in protecting private data, which is highly valuable in the digital age. A decade ago, it seemed unimaginable that companies would be able to utilize customer shopping data to create comprehensive profiles and categorize them based on demographics. However, this is now a reality. According to the National Conference of State Legislators' bipartisan non-governmental organization review in 2018, the internet and new technologies continually pose privacy-related policy challenges.
Despite laws that address website privacy policies and online marketing to minors, staying up-to-date poses two difficulties. The first challenge is the constant need to adapt to changing regulations. The second challenge is politicians prioritizing special interests over these issues. However, Europe actively participates in creating policies to protect customer data through the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This regulation oversees data protection and privacy for individuals within the European Union, as well as monitoring data export. Furthermore, the internet of things has heightened the risk of data breaches due to the widespread availability of internet-connected devices like smart TVs and refrigerators.
Trosow states that customers are not aware of how the data collected by these devices is utilized. Recently, the House of Representatives voted to remove the need for internet service providers to gain user consent before sharing their online browsing history with marketers and third parties, displaying a clear favoritism towards special interests. AT, Verizon, and Comcast were avid supporters of this repeal. When laws do not keep pace
with technological advancements or neglect to prioritize user safeguarding, the system becomes susceptible to exploitation by hackers.
With data theft becoming a prevalent problem in the digital era, the repercussions of this issue have gained significant attention and publicity. However, many instances of identity theft that occur daily often go unnoticed. Primoff and Kess report a recent increase in cyber breaches leading to stolen data, with over 3 billion cases of personal data being stolen in the past decade alone. One noteworthy incident was the Equifax breach, which involved the theft of four crucial personal identifiers: name, address, birthday, and social security numbers.
The Insurance Information Institute, a US industry association that promotes understanding of insurance, estimates that in 2017, there were 16.7 million victims of identity fraud resulting in a total theft of $16.8 billion. The occurrence of identity fraud is allowed to happen due to factors such as careless human error leading to stolen data and the increasing sophistication of cyber breaches. While phishing emails still exist, they pose little danger compared to elaborate data heists carried out by individuals or even nations with sufficient resources. This is evident from instances like North Korea hacking Sony in 2015. Daily occurrences of states hacking one another for various reasons, including intellectual property theft, may not be immediately apparent.
While internet privacy concerns persist, the availability of big data also brings positive aspects, such as the potential for responsible use and private components. A notable example is Southwest Airlines, which became the first in their industry to harness big data. Despite facing financial difficulties and a poor reputation, the company implemented aggressive data mining techniques on customer data,
resulting in improved efficiency and reduced costs. Another emerging field enabled by our ability to gather and utilize vast amounts of data is machine learning. This involves training computers using extensive datasets to respond to similar situations and even make autonomous decisions based on statistical algorithms.
The utilization of Artificial intelligence has sparked interest as it enables computers to emulate human judgment. Nonetheless, ethical and moral issues arise alongside this enhanced capability. The discussion centers on the potential replacement of human doctors by IBM Watson. Nevertheless, computer systems can acquire knowledge about our behavior, judgment, and problem-solving methods through the vast amount of data gathered. They are capable of offering suggestions and resolving problems utilizing this extensive data we have provided. Thus, comprehending the rationale behind the diminishing privacy on the internet is paramount.
The current situation we find ourselves in has been influenced by various factors. We are faced with tradeoffs and the challenge of outdated laws or hesitant lawmakers who are not eager to implement protective policies. Additionally, our cyber security defenses are increasingly being infiltrated by successful thieves. However, it is important to acknowledge that businesses using data have provided numerous benefits, making our lives easier. In the bigger picture, having access to different types of data has significantly improved computer efficiency. For example, spam filters can now automatically identify phishing emails. Data mining enables businesses to better serve their customers, and browsing history helps answer questions more accurately. Nonetheless, privacy protection still has a long way to go with individuals holding the ultimate responsibility for choosing what information to share and where to share it. It is crucial to understand these reasons in
order to effectively address these issues.
