Blog Post #11 - Privacy Online

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The discussion about privacy on the Internet and regarding technological innovation is a complex one. Ethics come into question frequently, as oftentimes users willingly give up their personal information and the corporations that use the info are usually within their rights. They can use our information, but should they? Is it ethical? 

In a lot of specific examples of this lack of privacy, it can be extremely difficult to choose a side. The one I have in mind is of local law enforcement using license plate readers to capture photos, dates, times, and locations of vehicles and drivers. It is uncomfortable and undeniably a suspicious breach of the privacy of Americans. However, I can think of a few different scenarios in which this database may be helpful. For example, in a missing persons case these photos could be used to determine locations and timestamps of someone missing or kidnapped, enabling law enforcement and search and rescue to close in and save the person. There are convincing arguments on both sides, and it’s tough to make a conclusive decision. 

Protecting ourselves from invasions of privacy is not always as easy as it sounds, in that no matter how careful you are and how many precautions you take regarding what you post and share on the Internet, there is always the chance that your information could be used against you. The best way to mitigate this risk is simply to be cautious about what you do online, who you communicate with, and what you share, but even then, things can go wrong, and that’s a scary thought.

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