Internet privacy: Obvious or Oxymoron?

As of 2005, 68.4 million people are connected to the Internet, and these numbers aren’t about to lapse. Online shopping and gaming has become more accessible, and now even movies, whether homemade or top-of-the-box-office, can be quickly located and viewed without hassle and sometimes without charge; but at what cost? With more websites requesting and even requiring users to provide personal information, are we risking our privacy? After several interviews -including persons who regularly use the internet and those who have just learned to use the internet- it seems that internet privacy depends on the content the user views while accessing the internet. But whether you are a novice of internet use or a new user, is divulging personal information worth the risk of privacy invasion?
Mary Curtis, a regular user of ebay, complains that it troubles her when she receives an anonymous e-mail that includes her full name and address. At the same time, online gamer Randy Brown claims that his internet privacy has “never been violated.” Why such a difference in responses? Sites like ebay require contact information (i.e. full name, address, credit card number) before becoming a member. Some gaming websites may request contact information, but many others only require a name and an e-mail address.
Prospective college students applying for online scholarships are required to give full contact information, similar contact information that ebay requires for its members. Since Heinks has started applying for scholarships via internet, Heinks admits that she has received more spam e-mails and notices more scholarship and educational advertisements.
“I don’t like giving all my personal information and stuff when I apply for online scholarships. I feel like my privacy is at risk,” says Heinks.
New internet user Eric Bannister does not feel his privacy is threatened because he has all his e-mail screened my McAfee, a spam and virus detecting program. Bannister admits that so far, he has only had to give out his e-mail once. Unlike Curtis and Heinks, he does not use websites that require users to divulge personal information.
Eliminating users that do not access websites that require contact information beyond a name and e-mail, is their privacy being invaded? The answer seems to be yes.
As stated previously, Curtis has received e-mails from unrecognized users, and Heinks receives increased amount of spam e-mail and sees more advertisements to appeal to her interests. According to Buffalo News, there have been 125 millions records reported compromised in the United States in 2007. What does this mean? 125 million of people’s personal data (some collected from online websites) were stolen from these online databases and used for other purposes.
Is online use worth the risk? “Yes,” was Brown’s simple reply. However, statistics say otherwise. Shop.org clams that “Sites requesting too much information is another annoyance that drives away 35% of buyers.”
Is the risk of privacy invasion worth it? Users who can refrain from divulging personal information do not seem troubled. However, users who are required to give personal information seem troubled.
What can users do when users are forced to give personal information to access particular websites? Should we change the standards on how personal information should be collected? No. What would changing standards do if our personal information could still be taken from online data bases?
Risk of privacy invasion seems to be a necessary evil; it is similar to walking into a store. You may be at the store to buy cereal, but you know that you are going to see millions of advertisements trying to compel buyers to purchase their product. It is the same with the internet; if you want to use an online shopping site, be prepared to receive e-mails tempting you with their products. This goes the same for scholarships and any other site. If the risk of invaded privacy is too much, do what 35% of buyers did to online shopping in 2006; stop using it.

Sources:

Bannister, Eric. Personal interview. 17 Jan. 2008.

Brown, Randy. Personal interview. 18 Jan, 2008.

Cristensen, Tesha. “Mass Communication: A Critical Approach.” Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Cambridge. 8 Feb. 2008.

Curtis, Mary. Personal interview. 18 Jan. 2008

Heinks, Marnda. Personal interview. 17, 19 Jan. 2008.

Jesdanun , Anick. "Internet privacy concerns on the rise." The Buffalo News. 1 Jan. 2008. 18 Jan. 2008 .

"Statistics: International Online Shopper." Shop.org. 2007. National Retail Federation. 19 Jan. 2008 .