Online privacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Online privacy - Essay Example As the Internet grew and technology becomes more sophisticated, advertisers found that they had fertile ground to hawk their products. If you have a laptop, "hot links" can be found in most fast food restaurants, hospitals or airports. Today, information is accessible from anywhere. Advertisers can also use consumer information to market specifically to their hobbies and interests. Social networking has created more challenge to privacy (36) because anyone who takes part in it has their information availably through search engines. "Personal websites, blogs, social networks and Twitter people are sharing too much information about their lives" (935). It only takes a few mouse clicks and this information can be broadcasted all over the world. No one is safe whether they are a grandmother or grandfather or a small child; if they are on the Internet, someone can find them. Many people think that if they stay away from the social networking sites they are safe. However, the article states that people are being tracked anyway by advertisers who surf the Internet for people who are looking for their products. A frightening fact of this practice was that they do not only find out the search words that were searched, but they can find out the dates that people searched and the time; they can also find the computer that the information came from to more directly target their consumers (935). Many advocates of more controls for the Internet suggest that there should be changes in the laws that govern the Internet but reform efforts are very slow (941). Instead of waiting for reforms, citizens must take charge of their own online privacy. In this readers opinion, it is very important for people to take control of their own privacy online. One of the challenges to better controls over the Internet information is that many people like the fact that they can share everything with the world. This creates a hassle for those