Internet Privacy: A Right or a Privilage?

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Internet Privacy: Right or Privilege Privacy has always been a key personal right for many people. People need that personal space or bubble to themselves that nobody else can penetrate. Especially with the way everything is heading today with the new technologies on the brink nobody has any alone time. It is becoming more and more of a hot topic to people. They want to know that their personal information stays personal, and out of reach of other people. With all the ways that people’s privacy can be breached they have a reason for being a little worried. Out of all these one of the bigger topics is internet privacy. What happens to all their information that is used and posted on the internet? The internet lacks security and legislation when it comes to email providers, search engines, and social networking sites. This has led some people to use private peer-to-peer communication networks such as Freenet and BitTorrent. First, most people would assume that the emails they send to each other are private and will stay private. Well that may not be completely true. Thanks to out of date privacy laws. The government can about snap their finger and be able to view your electronic messages and private emails.(Frolik) “The Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986,” experts said, “states that the government does not need a warrant to obtain emails and electronic messages that are 180 days old or that have been opened.” The law came out only two years after the year that the book nineteen eighty-four was written. (Orwell) This is too long without a change in the privacy laws. Mike Brickner, director of communications and public policy for the ACLU of Ohio said, “We haven’t had a wide-scale change in our privacy laws since the ... ... middle of paper ... ... very important right of the people. People shouldn’t be watched when they walk around the corner or when they go out in public. They should have the freedom to do whatever they want to an extent. The government should have stricter laws so they cannot just take people’s emails and messages. At the same time though people need to be a lot smarter on social networking sites. Putting all your information up is just asking for it. Maybe legislation does need to step in, and put requirements on these sites. Also, Google Maps should not be able to take street view pictures from their satellites. It violates people’s personal privacy. Hopefully in the future this will be made illegal or at least have tougher restrictions. No matter what happens in the future internet privacy and also just privacy in general will continue to be a hot topic in society for years to come.

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