How Does Hacking Affect Our Society

One of the most crucial issues that plagues us in the modern age is the topic of internet privacy. Today, eighty percent of the population of the United States use social media, almost quadruple the amount of people that used about a decade ago (“U.S. Population with a Social Media Profile 2017.”). The issue of privacy is one that affects everyone today. There are many reasons that people fear our digital society, but the are three main factors that people tend to be the most afraid of.
The first major perceived infringement on our privacy comes from the government. Since 9/11, government surveillance has increased dramatically starting with the Patriot Act which revised several federal laws to allow greater surveillance capability by police and other agencies. In short, government agencies gained the power to watch people with electronic surveillance devices, view any potentially unlawful transactions related to their …show more content…
While the other two problems that have been listed here are nothing to joke around about, this threat is the most real. “The first major hacking came in 1971, by a vietnam vet named John Draper” (“The History of Hacking”). He figured out a way to make free phone calls.” Since then, hacking communities have grown larger, hacking softwares have grown more complex, and the potential benefits of hacking have grown tremendously. Using a program called sub7, hackers can get access to information on your computer from anywhere. The only way to protect yourself is to be careful and use common sense. Create an effective password, don’t give away your information, and don't give your password to the Nigerian prince that keeps wanting to send you money. The most frightening thing that could happen is us losing our money and information. And unlike governmental and corporate data collection, we can’t do as much to protect