If we look back at the way the world was 20 years ago, technology existed and was great for its time, but the capabilities and sheer access did not exist in the way it has these past couple of years. We have seen new technology ranging from driverless cars, to ever advancing phones and computers, alongside a growing wide web with endless possibilities. But with these advancements comes a cost, privacy is exchanged for the use of these new products and online tools.
It is amazing to live in a time filled with new technology, but with every piece of technology that is connected to the internet some form of history and data is stored. We have constant cloud backups, metadata which allows for deleted files to be easily recovered. Posts to social media are easily saved and accessible forever. Exemplified with many Australian politicians being exposed for old offensive social media posts during the recent election period. The action of digging up old posts truly shows the danger and nature that the internet has brought. Nothing posted online can truly be removed, maybe it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but the new era of technology ensures that your actions will be cemented.
As for many companies, they aim to make as much profit as they can with little concern for the users, as long as it is still legal. Take Google or Facebook, when you are browsing these websites, you will frequently see some form of advertisement. If you pay attention to the advertisement, you might see it looks familiar, maybe something you were looking to buy a few days ago? This is a common way companies advertise and make money, by selling on your data. Things like google searches, flight searches are all stored by the browser, and this data is then sold on to different advertising locations on other websites. Though this is not a very malicious method of violating your online privacy, and is also regulated in many countries, it still puts the thought out as to how easy it may be to access all of our data and the true nature of internet privacy.
Early in 2018, more than 80 million facebook private profiles were leaked to Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm. This information was reportedly connected to Trump’s campaign. The 80 million users did not give permission for their information to be taken, nor did they know it happened until it was exposed. Evidently, it is very easy for private online information to be revealed, and the big organisations that lead the technology industry need to further ensure and protect its users so this does not happen. Moreover, the use of the information harvested from facebook was used for political gain with no malicious attack on the users data, but this opens the door to dangerous people who target certain individuals using the leaked data, and use it with malicious intent. Our reputation is no longer just our real life actions and behaviour, our online presence is just as important.
Comparing situations in real life where your privacy has been blatantly violated, most times it makes you uncomfortable, and even scared. So the same concern should be expressed when your privacy and information is violated online. The online world is growing every day, if we do not stop these big corporations from selling information, it will become normal, it will keep happening, and soon enough you won’t truly have your own private life. The ability to control what others see from your personal life is your choice, it should not be sold off and used as a money making scheme.
The invasion and violation of privacy is not just brought about by these profit hungry corporations, governments are just as guilty. There are governmental agencies whose sole purpose it to use technology in order to invade an individual’s private life in order to gain information. For some situations, it essential for national security. But how many peoples rights need to be violated before the desired outcome arises? How many private phone calls are being listened to at this moment, with no one knowing better? An article from ‘The Australian’ reported that vodafone exposed governmental agencies across the world that had access to “listen to conversations” with “little or no formal requests”. Where is the line between fulfilling the action for safety versus the abuse of power and outright violation of rights and privacy. If we do not truly possess the ability to control what is our life and what is open to the public and prying eyes, then are we really living our life, or someone else’s. National security is a priority so we don’t have terrible terror attacks or other incidents.
The line on what’s right and wrong is grey, but online privacy is as important and relevant as normal privacy. Without one, you do not truly possess a private life. We need to work in order to ensure freedom to privacy across all means and to all people, governments and corporations included.
