The Lack of Digital Privacy

1044 Words3 Pages

With everyone joining the online world your privacy is at even greater risk then ever before. The internet has become part of our everyday lives, from social networking to online transactions. Your privacy is threatened every day. However is our privacy threatened by our own government? According to the pew research data 56% of Americans say that it is acceptable for the NSA to run through millions of Americans phone records in order to prevent terrorism. (Pew Research Center) Many people still believe that the government has no business in our lives, yet many people including our government invade our digital privacy.

Your online identity is important. The internet is used for many important things. There is a lot of personal data also stored in the cloud such as pictures, emails, and notes, even our schedules are in the cloud making cooperative working easier and more efficient. However these things can all be a security risk from stealing personal information with phishing or using social networking and your calendars with the intent of stalking. "Social networking sites have been criticized for not protecting users’ personal information, leading to a May 2010 complaint filed with the Federal Trade Commission by 15 consumer advocacy groups." (Parks) Facebook is a popular social networking site, that stores a lot of your personal information. "A good practice to help

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stop privacy invaders is to adjust your privacy settings. In practice, though, adjusting Facebook’s dozens of privacy controls can be tedious and confusing." (Uong) All of these things are invasions of your privacy and if you do not take steps to protect your self you leave your self open for privacy attacks.

Does the government also ...

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...ple- press.org/2013/06/10/majority-views-nsa-phone-tracking-as-acceptable-anti-terror-tactic/

"National Security Agency / Central Security Service - Top Banner." Welcome to the National Security Agency. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2014. .

"NSA uses Google cookies to pinpoint targets for hacking." Washington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Mar. 2014. .

Parks, Peggy J. "Current Issues: Online Social Networking." Current Issues: Online Social Networking. 2011: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 07 Feb. 2014.

Spinello, Richard A. "The End of Privacy." America. Jan. 4 1997: 9-13. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 07 Feb. 2014.

Shapiro, Andrew L. "Privacy for Sale." Nation. 23 Jun. 1997: 11+. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 07 Feb. 2014.

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