The Importance Of Privacy On The Internet

Register to read the introduction… Many web users are comfortable providing information to web sites about their preferences, but most would rarely feel comfortable providing credit card or social security numbers. Whether in a physical or on-line environment we must always be smart with our personal information. In the article The Shape of the Electronic Republic" Lawrence K. Grossman describes how the Internet may be used as a tool of political influence and how it may change politics in the future. The average citizen would have a louder political voice, a direct line to the government and more input in the shaping of public policies and specific laws. A designated personal code such as a social security number or citizen registration number would allow each citizen instantaneous communications with the government. Although the ideas presented in this article give power to the people I also believe they take power away. On-line politics would give you that louder political voice but at what cost? Data collected on your political views, comments and voting decisions may be highly sensitive and personal in nature. This information could be sold, exchanged or cross-referenced to other databases to establish a more complete personal profile on you. Government agencies such as the IRS and the Social Security Department are already taking advantage of this type of data …show more content…
The club card is a perfect example of this. Grocery stores such as Vons and Ralphs offer free club cards that allow discounts or special prices. The cards are not truly free; we just pay for them with our personal information and buying data. Those that do not sign up for this service will not receive the lower tier of pricing. This is not only a privacy issue, but also discrimination against those people choosing not to share personal information. As mentioned in the Comcast article, any available information could potentially be used against the cardholder. Liquor purchases could be used against you in traffic court; the purchases of medicines or prescription drugs could affect insurance rates or the coverage available to …show more content…
The information super highway means we are now dealing with this issue on a much larger more global scale. In the article Into the Electronic Millennium Sven Birkets shares her opinions on privacy and the belief that the expansion of electronic options is always at the cost of contractions in the private sphere. As our lives become more streamlined through the use of technology, we are giving up personal responsibility and replacing it with electronic automation. Instead of balancing our checkbooks, we simply call the banks automated system; our balance, deposits, withdrawals and current activity are all available at the press of a button. Soon we will have on-line refrigerators that can place grocery orders, washing machines that can access the Internet to determine the best wash cycle for a delicate fabric and Internet connectivity available from every room in the house. If we reap the benefits of communications technology, we must expect to pay the price with our