What is online privacy?
Computers lifted life in the 21st century. In many ways, it is virtually impossible to imagine where we would be without them. Since the operation of our most important infrastructures to blasting through the former boundaries of scientific survey, computers at their fingertips put UNHERALDED strength. Information about almost any subject is clicking on the mouse and data can be organized, stored and shared faster than we can flash the eye. However, the same tools that can collect, organize and distribute information effectively can also be used to use personal data, leading to online privacy.
Online privacy can refer to technologies or procedures that protect anonymity and personal or sensitive information online, but can also be used as an umbrella term for referring to any privacy issue. Concerns about online privacy began with the invention of cookies, text files that saved user information in encrypted State. CookiE were originally designed to be more convenient to surf the web, but were quickly listed for further unintended use.
third -party cookies are helping large web traders to collect detailed surfing profiles on individuals, often connecting the actual name, address, phone number, or other personal data to the "anonymous" profile. Executive analytical tools categorize information and create personal extrapolations based on the types of websites visited within days, weeks, months and even years. Sex, approximate age, family status, religious affiliation, children, pets, national environment, work, hobbies, health problems, political tendencies, education and income groups are only a few brands that can be derived with different degrees of accuracy.
While the purpose of profiling is the target marketing, there is no warranty as the information may notbo can be used for the future. The databases can also be triangulated between merging or partner data miners - both offline - to make even more detailed profiles. Such profiles could have potentially unfavorable effects on individuals. For example, the health insurance company could rent access to a profiling database to check potential new subscribers and adjust premiums based on "risk" factories present in profile, such as cigars or alcohol purchases or potentially dangerous hobbies such as climbing or sliding.
Given the outrage of what some considered a highly invasive practice, the controls of the cookie have been implemented in browsers, and today most subtle surfers leave third -party cookies to reduce market profiling. This still allows first -party cookies and the ability of each website to keep records of repeated visits. Some users decide to completely turn offUT cookies and enable them only on the basis of the necessary foundation.
When this battle was fought, further concerns about privacy online appeared. Sellers sold products and services without implementing a secure, encrypted Point-to-Point tunnel between the website and the client. Enthusiastic newcomers on the Internet entered sensitive information, such as the name, address and information about credit card, online forms that were sent at a clear unconscious security risk.
When people became education and websites began to implement encryption, there was a tangential problem of online privacy. Personal data submitted for one purpose were sold or used for another. As a result, personal data protection principles were ordered, but they did not have meaningless policy without supervision. The Dog Guards, such as Truste®, have been created to give the seal to approval to companies that allegedly stuck with their policies, but even guard psoogsOsvisali under control when the main companies they approved, such as Microsoft®, AOL® and Amazon®R privacy violations that have created online subtitles.
In addition to these growing pains, internauts had other problems to worry about online privacy. Malware was increasingly sophisticated. Instead of erasing files or system disturbances, "robots" were installed to secretly use computer resources. Trojan horses and rootkits used weaknesses in operating systems and installed the rear doors for Keyloggers to steal credit card numbers and passwords. Identity's theft has become a big trade, and today about 15 million US citizens are victims of financial losses every year, which, according to IdentityTheft.info, exceeded $ 50 billion (USD).
Protective laws have always monitored technology, but another factor that plays online privacy is a false feeling of anonymity created by sitting on a computer in private home or office. In the factAny unencrypted communication transmitted via the Internet Essentiav is publicity. This includes an uneven e -mail that is not more private than a postcard.
While the younger generations that have grown online may not concern privacy, others consider privacy more important than ever, especially if its loss can have far -reaching, unintended and unforeseen future consequences. For more information, see organizations such as Electronic Foundation (EFF) and Privacy International.