Social / Ethical IssuesNetwork, Internet, Personal & Public Communications

Privacy is dead?!?The ubiquitous connections we have established with one a n o t h e r h a v e s p re a d o u r information across the globe at a very fast pace. Posting one bit of information and the whole world will automatically know. !This probably because of the amount of information people are so willing to share. From the trivial breakfast we just ate all the way to propaganda and state secrets are leaked online. !There is no such thing as privacy anymore. Is our privacy really dead?

Reasons why privacy is probably dead

1. Many people share almost everything about themselves online without hesitation.

2. The speed and coverage of technology has allowed us to send information across the globe in less than seconds.

3. Technology has found many ways to keep track of our daily lives. From the status updates or tweets we post all the way to our location (even without us knowing).

4. Networks of devices and software has allowed for accurate information about out lives to be analysed.

5. People are unaware and uneducated on how to protect their personal information online.

01 Many people share almost everything about themselves online without hesitation.

Many people just don’t care about what they send and sometimes address personal issues online where the public can see. !Not many people understand, that even the littlest information about them can be used against them. !Did you know that something as simple as your Birthday Date is used by credit card companies to verify your identity? Many people post this simple information online without hesitation knowing that credit card hackers use this simple information to gain access to people’s accounts.

02 The speed and coverage of technology has allowed us to send information across the globe in less than seconds.

Underwater cables, satellites, cell sites and many more tools have connected us to each other. Even though communicating with other has become so easy and fast, many use this to their advantage by spreading lies, propaganda, cyberbullying and so much hate across the world.

Before the Internet, when someone bullied you in school and called you names, it stayed in school and you can always find comfort in your home. But now, the bullying continues on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Email and all of these stay with you in your personal computer.

03 Technology has found many ways to keep track of our daily lives. From the status updates or tweets we post all the way to our location (even without us knowing).Everywhere we go it seems that we can’t run away from technology. Technology is ubiquitous. Meaning, it’s everywhere. !Whether we like it or not, technology is here to stay. It’s good to know that technology can keep track of the movies I like or the friends I know. But sometimes all this tracking can go too far.

Several criminals stalk their victims online, watching their every move and location they visit as they post status updates online.

04 Networks of devices and software has allowed for accurate information about out lives to be analysed.

Everything you post online paints a clearer picture of who you are. Many companies pay millions of dollars to know what you like, who your friends are, what you eat, where you’ve been. They then sell this information to companies and organisations so that get a better picture of what kind of person you are.

S e v e r a l c o l l e g e s a n d universities in the US and E u r o p e c h e c k s t u d e n t Facebook and Twitter profiles to know more about their candidates.

05 People are unaware and uneducated on how to protect their personal information online.

Unfortunately, many people still don’t know how to set and manage their privacy settings in their online accounts. Many people still aren’t aware of suing encryption methods to protect their data and information. Sometimes, people are just too lazy to learn or just don’t care.

W h e n a c c e s s i n g o n l i n e important accounts, make sure that your browser displays an ‘HTTPS’ in the URL to ensure encryption is being used to protect your information. You should normally see this when giving your credit card details online.