Essay On Internet Privacy

What does privacy really mean and why do people want it? It’s a fair question to ask, especially when looking at the internet, a global system that connects you to billions of people (Oxforddictionaries.com). There are endless amounts of details you can discover about a particular person on the internet. Some people enjoy the fact that they can access so much about another person with just a click of a button, while others fear it. That is why people take precautions, limiting the amount of access outsiders have to their information, however that does not always work. There are many loop holes in the terms and conditions we agree to on websites which leaves us open to the public in certain ways. There are also many ethical concerns regarding privacy on the internet.
Nevertheless, we continue to use the internet despite the dangers that come with it. Although it is nice to connect with people from all parts of the world, some things are better kept private.
With that being said, it is extremely crucial to protect personal information on the internet. Privacy is defined as the state of being free from public attention (Oxforddictionaries.com). Microsoft, a multinational billion dollar technology company, defines internet privacy as personal information that one provides on the internet and can only be accessed by an exclusive group (Microsoft.com). In short, personal information includes anything from first and last name, address, email, telephone number, or social security number (coppa.org). Keeping this information safe will in turn keep you safe, that is why there are some laws in place to enforce internet privacy. More and more frequently laws are being put in place to protect the privacy rights of certain individuals on the internet. One of the most prevalent laws involving privacy is associated with children. Protecting children online is very important, because there are people out there willing to harm them. The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act states that it is unlawful for an online service directed towards children to collect personal information from them. The COPPA’s website, characterizes
anyone thirteen or under to be a child (coppa.org). This law is essential because without this privacy act in place it would be easier for predators to target young children online. Generally speaking, privacy acts like this should be put in place for individuals of all ages groups, but it is seemingly conventional to think of children before anything else. Nevertheless, there are some laws out there protecting adults online too. For instance, in September of 2012, California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed two bills into law that prohibited universities and employers from demanding applicants to give up their email, or social media account passwords (Social Media, The Law, And You). While email accounts and social media websites can be used for business, many people also manage their personal life online. For this reason, businesses would then acquire information about their employees that have no relation to the work force. By having this law in place, employees in California can rest assure knowing most of what goes on in their personal lives online is not a conflict of interest in the work force. Aside from California, there are other states who protect the rights of their citizens as well. In states like Nevada and Minnesota there is a requirement that internet service providers keep their customer’s information private unless given permission (nscl.org). With that being said, the providers still have to disclose any information released that could make their customers identifiable (nscl.org). That is to say, these people do not have to worry as much about personal information being exposed to the public, or do they?