The Computer Revolution/Security/Privacy Threatened

Personal information is confidential for people, and it is the right that not to reveal the information about themselves.However, since computer technology advanced, it is getting harder and harder to prevent privacy from being tracked. Many people are worried about losing their right to privacy and losing control of the personal information being collected by others. There are some ways to threaten your privacy that we have to concern.

Fill the form, please!

Sometimes, people will receive applications for credit cards or invitations to join clubs, etc. By writing down your personal information, the company can get your own information easily. Once you are in the database, your name seems easier to be revealed to other people.

Snooping!

If you want to get a job, usually you have to make your own resume in order to attract owners to hire you. Besides dropping off your resume in person, some people will post it on an internet job board. Therefore, your personal information, background, education, marriage status are available to everyone! It is one of the easy ways for snooping to get people's personal information.

A call can spy you, too!

Have you ever received a call from people who want to spy on your personal information? Now, this action is getting more and more ridiculous. By pretending some roles, such as surveyor or salesman, it is easy for them to get the information that they want if you out of precaution! So, before you say it out, don't feel embarrassed, check if they have authority to do that. It is the way to protect yourself, and your privacy.

Internet Tracking

100s of Internet companies are "tracking" an end computer user's every move while on the Internet. These companies consist of Internet search engines like Google, advertising firms, and Internet "traffic-logging" sites. The sole purpose for these companies to "track your movements" is so, that they can collect data about your personal interests based upon data from your Internet searches. These "data collecting" organizations place a "cookie" on information that the end user has glanced at.

Wikipedia's definition of a cookie is as follows, "a cookie, also known as an HTTP cookie, web cookie, or browser cookie, is used for an origin website to send state information to a user's browser and for the browser to return the state information to the origin site.[1] The state information can be used for authentication, identification of a user session, user's preferences, shopping cart contents, or anything else that can be accomplished through storing text data on the user's computer. Cookies cannot be programmed, cannot carry viruses, and cannot install malware on the host computer.[2] However, they can be used by spyware to track user's browsing activities—a major privacy concern that prompted European and US law makers to take action.[3][4] Cookie data can also be illicitly disclosed by hackers to gain access to a victim's web account."

So, once the data is captured and collected, the information is then matched to ads that are then posted while you are still on the Internet. These ads are specifically chosen based on your "search history". These ads are shown in hopes that you, the consumer, will then be interested in the websites and or products being shown and will ultimately purchase those products.

While the end user's name is not is not attached to the information that is gathered; it may still feel like an invasion of privacy. Recently, there has been discussion about "Do Not Track" tools and what orders websites will have to respect in regards to end users notifying them that they "do not want to be tracked". The Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA), the Federal Trade Commission, W3C, the Internet Advertising Bureau (also part of the DAA), and privacy researchers at academic institutions are all involved. In November 2011, the DAA put out a new set of principles that contain some good ideas like the prohibition of "collection, use or transfer of Internet surfing data across Websites for determination of a consumer's eligibility for employment, credit standing, healthcare treatment and insurance."

In February 2012, the White House seemed to side with privacy advocates who want to limit collection, not just uses. Its Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights pushes companies to allow users to "exercise control over what personal data companies collect from them and how they use it." The DAA heralded its own participation in the White House process, though even it noted this is the beginning of a long journey.

Recently, Google has adapted new policy that incorporates the sharing of your information across their platforms. Which means that any YouTube video, email through Gmail and so on can be used to target you for advertisement and other services. This has made privacy advocates question the Google's intentions and even the legality of this new policy. The biggest issue with the change has been the fact that if you use any of Google's products, you will not have the option to opt out of the new policy.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/29/google-privacy-policy-changes_n_1310506.html

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/im-being-followed-google-104-195718862.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_cookie

Privacy

Everyone is or should be concerned about Internet privacy. There are several ways to protect individuals and their finances over the Internet. Certain measures of safety may be taken such as only go to trusted sites, read the sites privacy policy, and don't use the auto populate on public computers and finally use common sense. There are also many government groups that protect our privacy and be safe on the Internet. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) stresses that protecting individual's social security number while dealing with things on the Internet is very important. Pay attention to the trash and e-mails that are received from the Internet. Hackers can easily access these important e-mails. Make difficult passwords so not just anyone can easily access information. Verify the sources to make sure they are safe and okay to give personal information. The Internet Crime Complaint Center works in a partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) to help and receive criminal complaints related to the Internet. Posting things on the Internet can be harmful to individuals. The information posted on the Internet is permanent. This includes comments written on blogs, pictures, and Internet sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. It is absorbed into cyberspace and once it is posted, anyone can find it and read it. This action can come back and hurt people in the long run when applying for jobs or having someone finds person information. Another way of protecting your privacy is to Never submit a credit card number or other highly sensitive personal information without first making sure your connection is secure (encrypted). In Netscape, look for an closed lock (Windows) or unbroken key (Mac) icon at the bottom of the browser window. In Internet Explorer, look for a closed lock icon at the bottom (Windows) or near the top (Mac) of the browser window.In any browser, look at the URL (Web address) line - a secure connection will begin "https://"isntead of "http://". If you are at page that asks for such information but shows "http://" try adding the "s" yourself and hitting enter to reload the page (for Netscape or IE; in another browser, use whatever method is required by your browser to reload the page at the new URL). If you get an error message that the page or site does not exist, this probably means that the company is so clueless - and careless with your information and your money - that they don't even have Web security. Take your business elsewhere.

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/s/secure-web-sites.htm#.UYAlr8qPma4

Privacy Laws

The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act 1988

Describing the rule in which computer matching associating federal agencies could be act and by putting protections for personal applying for and receiving benefits.

Video Privacy Protection Act

It was created in 1988, which provides on of the biggest consumer privacy.

Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)

Tracking Protection

Email can be tracked without protection.

You can send ads, images, web links, etc. and think what you send is private but sadly it is not, unless you have protection. A third party can receive your information without your knowledge, you need tracking protection. Below is a list of the top ten tracking protection sites available to protect your privacy. The protection gives you a choice of what third-party sites can track you online. You have the option to block the content from websites that may invade your privacy:

1. Abine's Kids and Teens Tracking Protection List 2. Abine's Standard Tracking Protection List 3. EasyPrivacy Tracking Protection List 4. PrivacyChoice TPL - all companies 5. PrivacyChoice Tracking Protection List - Block companies without NAI oversight 6. TRUSTe Tracking Protection List 8. EasyList Standard Tracking Protection List 10. Fanboy - Adblock Tracking Protection List