Privacy: Online and Off

Privacy is something that can be easy to overlook until you realize how much information is being collected about you. Surveillance is not limited to the internet, either. Technology used for mass surveillance is making its way into local police departments.

One of the main technologies driving this surveillance is license plate readers. As the cost of storing data has dropped, police can keep information “just in case” something happens later.

This affects me because I could be monitored without ever realizing it. Just because I cannot see surveillance technology does not mean it is not there.

It also affects my friends and family because their information can be collected too. The bigger concern is that all of this information can eventually become part of massive databases containing details about our lives.

Privacy concerns also exist online. Facebook’s business model raises questions about privacy through practices such as data mining, digital dossiers and behavioral marketing. Information can be collected through user-generated content, tracking malware and deep packet inspection.

Another concern is the third-party doctrine. When someone voluntarily gives information to a second party, they can lose control over how that information is later used by a third party. That makes me think more carefully about what information I provide online and who may eventually have access to it.

The government should take the possibility of surveillance technology being abused seriously. There should be more attention paid to what information is collected, why it is being stored and how that information may eventually be used.

We also have a responsibility to protect ourselves. We can become more aware of the information we voluntarily provide and think carefully before sharing personal information online.

Privacy can be invaded both online and in the real world, sometimes without us even knowing it. Understanding how our information is collected is an important first step toward protecting it.

AI DISCLOSURE: AI was used for the formatting of this blog post. By using only my personal notes, it helped me develop a structure for my writing.