assessment essay

Is there truly privacy in the digital world?

Digital privacy is a major security issue in modern times. Privacy is arguably one of the most important areas in which society and technology will affect each other in the coming years (Connolly, 2000, p.49.) Digital technology is becoming an increasingly vital part of everyday life for a number of people on different levels; from everyday functions like phone calls, text/instant messaging, internet research, games, browsing and sending emails to major financial business use and multi billion dollars company’s method of operations. Digital privacy can be split into to categories; information privacy and communication privacy (Langford, 2000, p.71). Information privacy mainly involves user’s details and personal information: name, age, address, bank account details, and transactions whereas communication privacy deals with a individual’s level and methods of communication such as; web usage and navigation, tracking, emails, phone calls etc. These elements combine together when discussing the issues surrounding privacy in the digital world.

Privacy is something we take for granted on a day to day basis. We close the door on the world around us when we arrive ‘home’ and in the environment we are safe from the prying eyes of neighbours and strangers. But we can no longer have that certainty when we are in cyber space, via email or a web browser, or a mobile phone. (Hirst and Harrison 2007, p. 283). Through an increase in modern communication technology and changing trends of the way people live the internet has become one of the most important and common methods of communication and business. Examples of this can be seen in the growing success of online banking and shopping apposed to travelling to branches and outlet stores but perhaps the most dominate example would have to be the modern methods of contact and communication e.g. mobile phones, pocket/palm PC’s, emails, instant messages, online chat etc. These communication tools all rely on the wireless medium of cyberspace, which makes the privacy of the information extremely vulnerable. Government legislation is aimed at protecting the information but the contraction of privacy vs. freedom of information often clashes and provides a ‘grey area.’ (Garfinkel, 2002, p. 666) For example there is legislation in the United States to provide a level of privacy protection to bank customers that actually allows banks to share the information they collect with other credit providers and insurance companies, or an associated business entity, as long as it is done for the purpose of carrying on business (Hirst and Harrison 2007, p. 285). This presents the question, how can there truly be privacy in the digital world if people don’t have control over their own information?

One of the most influential threats to privacy and a major factor as to why I believe there is no privacy in the digital world is computer crime. Computer crime includes; hacking, using viruses, trojans, worms etc in order in infiltrate another system or network. The most commonly used and threading type of computer crime in regards to privacy is identity theft and fraud. This is process that involves individuals or groups stealing information (usually personal details i.e. date of birth, bank account/credit card details, passwords etc) and using it to falsely verify that they are somebody else, usually in order to steal money or further information.
Identity theft can be accomplished a variety of ways the most common are; deceptive phone calls and emails pretending to be a legitimate company asking to “confirm your details” in order to obtain personal details and the use of ‘keylogging’ – a software program that captures the user’s keystrokes to discover confidential information such as login names, passwords and answers to security questions that people use to get access to online bank accounts, corporate systems and websites (BBC news, 17/3/05 http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/4358287.stm). The dynamic and continually flowing nature of the internet makes it easy for people to use computer crimes to steal private information and come and go as they please. The ease of which they can obtain this information illustrates the fact that there is no privacy in the online world.

Marketing and advertising is another reason as to why there is no privacy in the digital world. Companies obtain details such as phone numbers, email addresses, postal addresses from market research and send promotion information via these communication methods whether the receiver wants them or not. E.g. spam emails, promotional text messages, junk mail, telemarketing etc. This is a direct invasion of privacy in that companies have obtained personal details such as name, address, phone number, email address etc without the permission of receiver and they has no control over the information being sent to them and unless they contact the company to “opt-out” have to put up with it. A simular theory applies online with the use of a ‘clickstream pattern’. Everything you do on the internet is tracked and recorded. A clicksteam pattern is the digital trail left behind when surfing the web. It is tracked via cookies and other methods that allow search engines to deliver targeted advertising to your browser by attempting to match what you were looking for (Hirst and Harrison 2007, p. 285). Cookies play an important role in web tracking and recording. They are small files that hold information on the times and dates you have visited web sites. Other information can also be saved to your hard disk in these text files, including information about online purchases, validation information about you for members-only web sites, and more (2007 Kroll Ontrack Inc, http://www.ontrack.com/glossary/).
These features create controversial issues with online privacy because although the user has control over how they use and navigate through the internet if someone else has legal or illegal access to your computer they are able access all your personal information, including bank details. The following article perfectly illustrates societies concern with privacy in the digital world:
In recent news Google has introduced a new service which critics say allows the company to more easily collect data on its users' web surfing habits. The new feature, called ‘Web History’, allows users to look back in time at the websites they have browsed and search them for specific lines of text. However, the feature has got privacy advocates up in arms because it confirms what they have feared for some time now - that Google is capable of storing profiles of its users' web browsing history that can be easily and directly linked to the individual. Australian Privacy Foundation chair Roger Clarke said of the new feature: "Every URL that you ever go to at any time is being sifted through at Google and thrown into their archives to help them build a profile about you forever." (Moses, Sydney Morning Herald, April 23 – 2007, http://www.smh.com.au/news/web/search-service-tracks-your-online-habits/2007/04/23/1177180549441.html)

The digital world is one of the most commonly used mediums of communication and one that is growing and changing rapidly. Information moves freely through the system and because it is subject to computer crime and technical malfunctions the privacy of the information in the world is very much under threat. So who has control of the information flow, who owns the internet? If Google and other large marketing and advertising companies have the ability to obtain your personal information through web tracking and click stream patterns and if people have the ability to hack computers and digitally steal identities how can you argue there is truly privacy in the digital world?





Reference List


Connelly, P.J. 2000. Privacy as global policy. Infoworld, 11 September, pp.49-50


Langford, Duncan 200. Internet Ethics. Published in 2000 by Macmillan Press LTD, p.71


Hirst, Martin and Harrison, John 2007. Communication and New Media: From Broadcast to Narrowcast. Published 2007 by Oxford University Press. pp. 283-285


Garfinkel, Simon 2002. Web Security, Privacy & Commerce. 2nd edition. Published 2002 by O’Rielly & Association. P. 666


BBC news website. The spies watching while you type. Viewed 9/5/07, written 17/3/05 http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/4358287.stm


Ontrack Data Recovery website. Glossery of Terms. Viewed 9/6/07
http://www.ontrack.com/glossary/



Moses, Asher. Search service tracks your online habits. Sydney Morning Herald, published April 23 – 2007, viewed 5/507, http://www.smh.com.au/news/web/search-service-tracks-your-online-habits/2007/04/23/1177180549441.html)