Introduction: Since intrusion of privacy could prove destructive, it is crucial that we set up a few controls to make sure that it never happens
Body 1: How social networking sites could prove harmful
Body 2: How our internet activity is being monitored by the US government itself
Body 3: How the internet is playing with emotions
Conclusion
Technology is bringing new things to the table, and faster than ever before. We have been provided with social networking tools like facebook and twitter, and those tools are being used to stay in touch with thousands across the globe. This innovation comes packed with a lot of risks too, and most of these risks revolve around privacy. This is why the issue has become important to so many Americans today. The latest addition of the annual TRUSTe reveals that 92 percent of the Americans are concerned about their online privacy. In addition to that, when presented with the statement ‘Personal online privacy is not as important as national security’, 45 percent of the subjects of the survey disagreed. But what are the issues that concern the public of today the most? When taking the response to this question, 38 percent of them expressed concern over the companies selling their information to other companies, and 36 percent seem concerned about the online security threats. There may not be consensus over what form of privacy is most important, most of the people seem to warrant the controls over the privacy and want there to be certain measures put up against the invasion of online privacy.
Today, the phrase ‘social networking sites’ brings a single thought to mind; privacy. The idea of these sites started off as a way to mingle and share information with only a selected few. The problem, however, is that now, much of this information is going public, meaning anyone who knows our name could make up practically a family tree with only a little bit of effort. We have been sharing our addresses online, where we study, where we work ad where we go to hang out. There are drawbacks associated with all of this sharing, and one is that it becomes fairly easier for the creepy stalkers to get a hold of this information and sometimes, even a few photographs to go along with that. We also have been hearing from many employers and college admission officers using this personal information to choose among the many applicants. And then there is the problem of identity fraud. Since online identities have become so popular, it becomes easier for others to impersonate and get into someone else’s social circles.
Another revelation that makes the hair on our body stand up; our online activity is being monitored. In the year 2013, the US government admitted to the existence of a scheme which wiretaps and monitors the communications that take place between the US and the foreign nationals. Many of the very big companies including Google and Yahoo are involved in this scheme. There is no limit to the information that is being monitored and it includes by is definitely not limited to emails, chats, Video, photos and as far as the data stored, the login details and also the file transfers. The government has been crossing into the grey area with all of this research and monitoring for when going too far, the fourth amendment against unreasonable research is violated. Another problem is that the US law provides no protection to the people living overseas.
What is the end result of the invasion of this privacy, ergo how is the average American suffering from this widely accepted practice? The last December, a 20-year-old woman was stalked through the internet, and she turned up dead. There are also countless e-commerce customers whose credit card details are being sold online very freely. Also, as we mentioned earlier, there are also countless identity threats taking place in chat rooms online and men pretending to be women and women pretending to be men and preying on one or the other oblivious citizen with illicit motives. Then there is the problem that many people are being tracked, and their every move monitored through the same internet. And then there is another concern that is worth mentioning here; which is the crime of cyberbullying. Cyber bullying is the deadliest of the emotional stresses, and this is another problem which comes from the prey hiding behind the internet and spreading fear and torture to as far as their reach can go. The mental and emotional torture aside, cyberbullying is a problem that is claiming many lives. High school students including Pheobe Prince and Megan Meier and college freshman Tyler Clementi are amongst the countless who have committed suicide after all of their privacy has been taken away and strewn all across the web.
There are still so many people at large who are playing with other people’s emotions and their lives by invading their online privacy. They have felt encouraged in part because of the US government’s own involvement in this invasion of privacy, and the trend is also going to carry on so long as someone stands up and puts a stop to the practice. Rather than playing a part in taking away the people’s rights to privacy, the government’s duty is to make sure that the people are safe, and they could surf the web without the fear of being hurt. We all should make a little more effort to make sure that freedom of speech is not just an expression rather that it become a reality.
Works Cited
Aurther, Charles. NSA scandal: what data is being monitored and how does it work? 07 June 2013.Web. 14 February 2016
Conner, Cheryl. Sharing Too Much? It'll Cost You. 19 October 2012. Web. 14 February 2016
Reputation Defender. What compels cyberbullying victims to commit suicide? n.d. Web. 14 February 2016
Sullivan, Bob. Online privacy fears are real. n.d. Web. 14 February 2016
TRUSTe. 45% of Americans think Online privacy is more important than National Security. 28 January 2015. Web. 14 February 2016
