The Assault on Privacy by Technology in Modern Times

The controversial issue of privacy is coming to the forefront more and more often in our modern civilization. As technology evolves, so does the need for redefining how privacy is handled by big business, government agencies, and individuals themselves. In this information and technology driven society, keeping your personal information private is more important than ever. Currently, personal information is being bought, sold, exchanged, and stolen in a public environment (at an alarming rate) with both good and bad intentions via the Internet. In the book Database Nation, Simson Garfinkel (who writes a monthly column for CSO Magazine and has a multitude of computer science degrees from MIT) discusses how the main issue of privacy involves the civil rights of people to be in charge of their own information about their life and to develop a system that protects that right of privacy. Garfinkel also agrees that without privacy protection, this country could slip into an “Orwellian” state of mind, whereas nothing about our lives will be private, not even our thoughts.
Conversely, that same right to privacy, that we enjoy so much, could also leave us vulnerable to terrorism by protecting terrorists’ rights of privacy. This would hinder or prevent our local and federal law enforcement agencies’ ability to investigate people who may be planning terrorism activities. Advocates on this side of the coin might say “Maybe if there was less privacy among citizens of the United States, then disasters such as 9/11 might not have ever happened?” This might be true, but for every one successful terrorist attack that slips through the cracks; there are hundreds of others that were foiled before they could carry out their plan.
As it stands, technology is one of the primary factors involved in the invasion of privacy. One of the most popular ways of invading someone’s privacy, using this technology, is to track their Internet surfing habits. This can tell you all that you need to know about that person. Just imagine if you are out on Saturday afternoon and you had to run some errands or do some shopping and you had someone following you around everywhere. They would have a pretty good idea of what type of buying habits and interests you might have. Then, they would collect this information and sell it to the highest bidder. This is where we’re heading to if we don’t nip this situation it in the bud, so to speak.
This same technology that can invade our privacy can also help to protect it. When your computer is filled with spy-ware, viruses, and Trojans, it’s almost as if you’ve been cyber-mugged. It’s no different than being mugged on the street. The thief can get away with your money, identity, and your privacy without ever having to leave their house. If you clean your computer’s cache on a daily basis, run an internal/external firewall, and have an up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware programs running at all times, you can avoid being tracked and mugged online. Now, the tables have turned as you can use some of the very same type of tools that were used to attack you can now be used to conceal and protect your privacy.
If we change one of our fundamental civil rights, then we are letting the terrorists know that they are succeeding. Their realization of this success may increase the volume and number of terrorists’ attacks. If we don’t do something about the protection of our privacy on the Internet; big business, smalltime hackers, and the government will enjoy an unregulated free-for-all with all of the private information that they are able to collect on us. If we choose to continue down this path, eventually we will get to a point where privacy will be a thing of the past and all of our hopes, dreams, and aspirations will be for sale to the highest bidder. So, Big Brother, how much private information would you like to buy today?