Privacy and ethics
Introduction
The introduction of the internet in the recent past has seen the development of better social connection between people or different backgrounds as well as the increased rate of knowledge sharing between diverse points. However, many negative issues have also been witnessed in the internet including the sharing of conspiracies, child abuse, and sharing information of harmful materials such as weapons and drugs (Buchmann, 2014). In addition, the privacy of the user has been an issue over the past as some internet sites, unregistered mobile phones, and questionable social media platforms have the access to the confidential information of the user. As a result, the ethical line that exists between the data that can be monitored by the internet service providers and the network security has been developed as an ethical way of ensuring the clients’ data is not manipulated (Buchmann, 2014). In this essay, we shall cover four parts including the issue of internet privacy, what issues still exist, any actions done to curb such issues, and my personal recommendations for a better alternative.
Internet privacy/ethical issues
In our current world, the most disturbing issue in the internet is the privacy of the users’ data as well as the content that he or she sends or receives through it. It is majorly known that many things can be done today by simply using a device that can access internet by the user and perform various actions. For example, many people have started working from the comfort of their homes by simply using the internet to connect to their clients as well as performing the work needed in their offices. Secondly, many people today use the internet to order various things as well as doing their shopping there far from the stores. In addition, many people today communicate through the use of emails and other social applications on the daily basis (Zimmer & Kinder-Kurlanda, 2017).
However, their privacy is still a concern as some of their data is accessible to various parties. To begin with, many advertisers manipulate the data that the user accesses or sends over a long period of time so as to deliver their personalized advertisements. This is one big issue that many clients have been addressing in the giant social network, the Facebook. In this social medium, many people interact with various things and other people and, after a while, they usually see advertisements directed to them based on what they searched or shared. The same happens with Google searches and data sharing (Buchmann, 2014). Secondly, the FBI has been questioned as to why they have the access to the emails send by various persons. In these actions, the FBI tends to acquire the email headers, the site a person visits, and/or the people he/she has contacts with. If a person is suspected to be a drug dealer and/or a terrorist, the FBI is known to have the jurisdiction of acquiring all the servers that the person accesses, the people with whom he or she interacts with, and the message titles but not the content (Zimmer, & Kinder-Kurlanda, 2017). Thirdly, the issue of government monitoring the data that its citizens access and send has been an issue as well. Just as the FBI, the government may decide to regulate what the users can access as well as the content they can share. In various social media including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn among others, the content that a person can share may leads to his account being terminated or standing a chance of being arrested (Buchmann, 2014). For example, if a person shares some information that is disturbing or abuses the government’s officials, he/she may be arrested. Finally, retailers are known to manipulate the data and information the users send or access in their servers for marketing opinions. For example, shopping in Alibaba or Amazon may seem fun until a person starts getting recommendations of what he or she may find interesting to buy (Zimmer, & Kinder-Kurlanda, 2017). These actions simply mean that the users data was accessed and evaluated based on what the user had interests in.
Why the issue exists
Despite having information of the above users’ data access and breaching by different persons including retailers, advertisers, police, and the government, the privacy concern of the users is still a mess. There are various reasons why these actions have not yet been settled. To begin with, most terrorists are known to be targeting various countries as well as sharing shocking news or content over the internet as well as physically (Buchmann, 2014). As a result, the government and the police have always been in the run to find the hidings of these terrorists as well as drug traffickers so as to keep the nation safe. As a result, the internet service providers and social media personalities do not have an option rather than complying with the requirements. In addition, the advertisers and retailers have the access to the users’ data for the sole purpose of boosting sales rather than abusing the information (Buchmann, 2014). Thus, the issue of data use by these advertisers and retailers may never have an end in any time soon.
What is being done to address the issues?
Despite the access to the data by various persons, there have been ways and methods laid down so as to protect the data send and received by the users over the internet. For example, a line has been established that prevents various persons from breaching the confidentiality of the data. For example, the government and the police may access a person’s email but they are not allowed to view its contents but rather just the heading only. In addition, the marketers arerequired never to share their users’data with any third party as it may breach the data protection requirements. In addition, various methods have been introduced that limit such an access including the Tor web browser that hides the IP addresses of the users in web surfing and the use of virtual private networks for improved security of one’s send or accessed data. Finally, other protection measures have introduced such as internet protection from malware and hackers through the use of antivirus software such as Kaspersky Antivirus.
What you think should be done to address the issue
In my personal opinion, the users should consider using the Norton Safe Web (NSW) in the daily internet access so as to realize the malicious internet sites and malware that may access their data. Through such an action, the privacy issues may be restricted including restriction to malware, network vulnerabilities, and phishing activities. In addition, users must use registered and trusted email hosts including Yahoo and Google among others when they are sending their emails. Other unknown providers may simply be scammers looking for people to manipulate for personal reasons.
Reference
Buchmann, J. (2014). Internet Privacy: Options for adequate realisation. Berlin, Germany: Springer Science & Business Media.
Zimmer, M., & Kinder-Kurlanda, K. (2017).Internet research ethics for the social age: New challenges, cases, and context.Peter Lang International Academic Publishers.
