Computers have revolutionized life in the 21st century, but concerns about online privacy have arisen due to the use of cookies and third-party tracking. Personal information can be exploited for targeted marketing or even insurance policies. Encryption and privacy policies have been implemented, but malware and identity theft remain issues. Unencrypted communication over the internet is essentially public, and protecting privacy is important to avoid unforeseen consequences.
Computers have made life in the 21st century immeasurably better in so many ways that it’s virtually impossible to imagine where we would be without them. From managing our most vital infrastructure, to pushing the old boundaries of scientific exploration, computers have placed unheard-of power at our disposal. Information on almost any subject is available at the click of a mouse, and data can be organised, stored and shared faster than we can blink an eye. However, the same tools that can so efficiently collect, organize and disseminate information can also be used to exploit personal information, raising concerns about online privacy.
Online privacy can refer to technologies or practices that protect your anonymity and personal or sensitive information online, but it can also be used as an umbrella term to refer to any privacy-related issue. Concerns about online privacy began with the invention of cookies, text files that stored information about a user in an encrypted state. Cookies were originally designed to make browsing the web more convenient, but were quickly used for other unintended uses.
Third-party tracking cookies help large Web marketers collect detailed browsing profiles on individuals, often by linking a real name, address, telephone number or other personally identifiable information to the “anonymous” profile. Powerful analytic tools categorize information, making personal extrapolations based on the types of websites visited in days, weeks, months and even years. Gender, approximate age, marital status, religious affiliations, children, pets, location, job, hobbies, health issues, political leanings, education, and income range are just a few indicators that can be inferred with varying degrees of accuracy.
While the stated purpose of profiling is targeted marketing, there is no guarantee as to how the information will or could be used in the future. Databases can also be triangulated between merger or partnership data miners, both online and offline, to compile even more detailed profiles. Such profiles could have potentially negative effects on individuals. For example, a health insurance company might lease access to a profiling database to screen for potential new subscribers, adjusting policy premiums based on “risk” factors in the profile, such as cigar or alcohol purchases, or potentially hob unsafe like rock climbing or planing.
Due to outcry over what some consider a highly invasive practice, cookie controls have been implemented into browsers and today, most savvy web surfers leave third-party cookies turned off to reduce market profiling. This still allows for first-party cookies and the ability for individual websites to keep records of repeat visits. Some users choose to disable cookies entirely, enabling them only on a need-to-know basis.
While that battle has been fought, other online privacy concerns have emerged. Vendors were selling products and services without implementing a secure, encrypted, point-to-point tunnel between the website and the customer. New Internet enthusiasts entered sensitive information such as name, address, and credit card information into online forms that were submitted clearly, unaware of the security risk.
As people were educated and websites started implementing encryption, tangential issues related to online privacy arose. Personal information submitted for one purpose was sold or used for another. As a result, privacy policies were enforced, but without oversight the policies were meaningless. Watchdog firms like TrustE® were created to issue seals of approval to companies that allegedly abide by their policies, but watchdogs also came under scrutiny when major companies that approved such as Microsoft®, AOL® and Amazon® have come under fire for alleged privacy violations that have made headlines online.
In addition to these growing issues, internet users had other issues to worry about when it came to online privacy. The malware was getting more sophisticated. Instead of deleting files or shutting down the system, “bots” were installed remotely to covertly use computer resources. Trojans and rootkits have exploited weaknesses in operating systems, installing backdoors for keyloggers to steal credit card numbers and passwords. Identity theft has become big business, and today approximately 15 million US citizens suffer financial losses exceeding US$50 billion (USD) annually, according to IdentityTheft.info.
Security laws have always followed technology, but another factor that plays into the exploitation of online privacy is the false sense of anonymity created by sitting at a computer in the privacy of your home or office. In reality, any unencrypted communication transferred over the Internet is essentially public. This includes unencrypted e-mail, which is no more private than a postcard.
While younger generations who grew up online may not be as concerned with privacy, others find protecting privacy more important than ever, particularly when its loss can have far-reaching, unintended and unforeseen future consequences. For more information, see organizations such as the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), and Privacy International.
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