The advent of the Internet era has brought about a variety of useful options for people all over the world. However, along with numerous advantages, searching and sharing data online also has some negative features. The greatest problem that may be encountered by almost any user is the violation of privacy. People allow many facts from their biography and everyday life to be known to their friends, as well as total strangers. The present paper aims at discussing online privacy issues. The thesis statement of the paper is that while internet users complain about personal information collection and use, they do not take sufficient measures to prevent their data from being disclosed. The analysis of the problem will be performed on the basis of the strategies discussed in class and two articles focused on online privacy.
Articles Dedicated to the Issue and Their Contribution to the Question
The article by John (2015) supports the argument made in the thesis statement. The author remarks that while people say they want privacy online, their actions indicate the opposite. John (2015) mentions that there is such a notion as “privacy paradox” (para. 1). This paradox presupposes that users do not tend to conceal their personal information to the extent necessary for providing sufficient privacy. One of the reasons why John (2015) thinks that people do not care enough about privacy is that it is “a faceless issue” (para. 3). While behaviors are influenced by specific issues, privacy is an “intangible” and “hard-to-quality” concept (John, 2015, para. 3). Thus, individuals frequently neglect this issue.
Rainie (2016) mentions that the problem of privacy is associated not only with users’ disregard of protecting their data but also with their inability to do so. The researcher notes that many people admit being unaware of the tools they could employ to secure their private information. Among the actions taken by users in this respect are avoiding using one’s name, employing virtual networks concealing their IP (internet protocol), clearing cookies, and encrypting one’s mail (Rainie, 2016). Moreover, statistics indicate that 55% of internet users have tried avoiding the surveillance by certain companies, individuals, or the government (Rainie, 2016). However, the majority of respondents admit that they attempt to evade “social surveillance” by friends and co-workers more frequently than by the law enforcement or government (Rainie, 2016, para. 7). Many users consider their efforts insufficient and report that they would like to take more security efforts. Only 37% say they think that they are doing enough to protect their information (Rainie, 2016).
An important aspect discussed in both readings is privacy policy concerns. According to Rainie (2016), many of the US citizens cannot say for sure what data about them is collected and how it is exploited further. Nearly a half of respondents participating in Pew Research Center’s survey admit that they do not understand the ways their data is used. Moreover, the majority of these respondents report feeling discouraged and impatient when attempting to decide whether they should share their information with organizations (Rainie, 2016). In this respect, John (2015) notes that websites use default options. In most cases, users to dot read privacy policy settings, and the author remarks that they do so “for good reason” (John, 2015, para. 5). According to research, it would take the US citizens as many as 54 billion hours every year to get acquainted with the privacy policy of all new websites they use (John, 2015).
The Connection Between Articles and Strategies Discussed in Class
Some of the most crucial strategies concerned with the topic of the present argument are web-based tools, critical software applications, information policy and plagiarism, and using the Internet for research. Probably the most widely discussed of these issues is the latter. Internet research is often the subject of discussion when privacy issues are involved. A relatively term “Internet of Things” is employed by researchers to indicate a set of capabilities “to identify and connect worldwide physical objects into a unified system” (Kumar & Patel, 2014, p. 20). In this respect, there are serious concerns over personal data and the possibility of it being accessed by unfriendly users or organizations (Sicari, Rizzardi, Grieco, & Coen-Porisini, 2015). Sicari et al. (2015) note that satisfying users’ privacy and security is the most crucial problem of Internet research platforms. Among the core privacy requirements, Sicari et al. (2015) delineate the authentication, trust among users, confidentiality of information, and access control.
Plagiarism is another serious problem that may be caused by wrong data sharing patterns. The users who do not know how to protect their data may fall victims of somebody stealing their ideas (Rainie, 2016). In fact, plagiarism is spreading very fast over the internet due to the possibility of sharing pieces of information very fast and to a large number of people. Therefore, it is highly important to educate individuals on the correct use of their privacy rights and the protection of their unique opinions and creations. As John (2015) emphasizes, people do not realize the possible future effects of what they are disclosing.
Critical software applications also play an important role in arranging Internet privacy. According to Rudkin (2018), safety-critical software engineering is both highly important and challenging. The significance of such applications is in their possibility to promote the safety of software systems. The complications that may be encountered while working with critical software are concerned with the variety of standards and guidelines that regulate the applications (Rudkin, 2018). Although quality and attention to detail are crucial in all kinds of engineering, software specialists are affected by them more than other engineers (Rudkin, 2018). For instance, critical software applications need to pass several regulatory audits prior to being allowed to enter the market. Still, benefits presented by these systems are rather valuable, and all efforts made by their creators are justified.
Conclusion
Online privacy is probably the greatest challenge of the Internet. Users enjoy quick access to the information, but frequently, they can only obtain in exchange for some personal details that they would not like to reveal. Not all individuals are aware of the ways to eliminate strangers’ use of their data. Not everyone knows what details of their profiles are in easy access. Articles by John (2015) and Rainie (2016) support the argument expressed in the thesis statement concerning that while people want more privacy, they do too little to protect their security. In order to minimize the detrimental outcomes of data sharing, it is necessary to inform Internet users about the danger of sharing their private information and teach the public how to avoid becoming victims of hackers.
References
John, L. K. (2015). We say we want privacy online, but our actions say otherwise. Harvard Business Review. Web.
Kumar, J. S., & Patel, D. R. (2014). A survey on Internet of Things: Security and privacy issues. International Journal of Computer Applications, 90(11), 20-26.
Rainie, L. (2016). The state of privacy in post-Snowden America. Pew Research Center. Web.
Rudkin, I. (2018). Safety-critical software engineering: Understanding and overcoming the challenges. Novel Engineering. Web.
Sicari, S., Rizzardi, A., Grieco, L. A., & Coen-Porisini, A. (2015). Security, privacy and trust in Internet of Things: The road ahead. Computer Networks, 76, 146-164.