The Importance Of Computer Privacy

936 Words2 Pages

The era of computers and technology has begun. Without computers in this day in age something’s would not even be possible. Although, technology has advanced our uses in society and race as a whole everyday life it also has created many issues. One of the biggest issues is system privacy. There are many things that threaten our safety online. For instance, have you ever sat down in your favorite café, or bookstore and surfed the web. Many of us have, but not all of us know the threat of something so innocent can be if your information gets in the wrong hands while out in public. Many organizations, businesses, and even your government can monitor what you are doing online, and can collect the data you input into your personal computer using cookies. Cookies are small-encrypted files, these cookies are found on a users personal computer. These help retain the data of websites you visit. Many people believe it crosses the line of what is ethical and what is not, and even state it violates their right as an individual. This has raised a lot of controversy within the last past decade and it raises a huge question; should people be entitled to their privacy, or should it be “out in the open” for others to use at their expense? When the cookies are sent back and forth between the browser and website, a hacker or a person who is unauthorized can get in between the data that was transmitted. If transmitted the information can then be stolen and used for their own gain. Privacy issues are on going; many government-sponsored sites are being created to offer advice and support. The U.S Supreme Court states privacy is “an individuals ability to restrict or eliminate the collection, use, and have confidential personal information (LaBerl... ... middle of paper ... ...r instance, if a purchase that isn’t “normal” behavior like a purchase for a huge amount is transitioned, they will let you know, and put a stop to it if it is indeed not yours. Cracking down on cybercriminals is an on going battle. The punishment for being convicted of a cyber crime like stealing people’s personal information is very severe. Looking at the case of Albert Gonzales is made of an example. Gonzales was a hacker and was sentenced to twenty years in prison for stealing around 130 million dollars in credit card fraud. The U.S District court shines a light on the hugely horrific trend of cyber attacks. According to The 2009 Annual Report by the Internet Crime Complaint Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation claim that cybercrime complaints numbered 336,655 in 2009 (http://www.pctools.com/). This was a twenty two point three percent rise from 2008.

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