Is There Change in the Future?

As a citizen of the United States, I myself, along with many others seem to have the assumption that all of our problems will be solved if the government would just pass certain laws.  Unfortunately, that is not the case because it takes time and a lot of research to ensure that the law is ethical, and does not affect any other previously passed laws.  The basis of most privacy laws in United States is Fair Information Practices (FIP).  Such practices helped make changes in privacy legislation for things like HIPPA, which was described in a previous blog.  FIP is a group of standards that govern the collection and use of individual's information.

President Obama states that “American consumers can’t wait any longer for clear rules of the road that ensure their personal information is safe online,” he goes on to say, “As the Internet evolves, consumer trust is essential for the continued growth of the digital economy. That’s why an online privacy Bill of Rights is so important.  For businesses to succeed online, consumers must feel secure. By following this blueprint, companies, consumer advocates and policymakers can help protect consumers and ensure the Internet remains a platform for innovation and economic growth.”


Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights is a promising outlook into the future of consumers having control over their privacy. Including being in control over what information organizations are allowed to gather and what they may do with it. These Privacy Bill of Rights are meant to allow for better security, consumer understanding of privacy practices by organizations, control over what is collected, and accountability towards organizations for appropriately handling consumers personal data. The Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights is only one of four parts to the extensive blueprint revealed by Obama Administration in 2012, which is to help keep the Internet as a prosperous tool to future breakthroughs and continue a positive economical stand point.

Hopefully, these Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights will take effect soon and have a positive impact on the way organizations collect and use consumers personal data online. I personally would like the option to completely choose what organizations see, collect, and use of my own information. How about you?

Sources

http://export.gov/safeharbor/eu/eg_main_018476.asp

http://export.gov/safeharbor/

Management Information Systems by Laudon & Laudon.  Twelfth Edition. Prentice Hall, 2012. ISBN: 0-13-214287-2. Chap 4
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/02/23/we-can-t-wait-obama-administration-unveils-blueprint-privacy-bill-rights

Social Media Sites Compromise our Privacy

     Social media sites as in Facebook, twiter, e.g. can hurt its users in more ways than one. Social media sites supposedly has privacy settings that assure their consumers that their information is private.  However, information is revealed every day. Social media sites can:

1. Reveal our personal information

2. Allow stalkers to find us

3. Allow future employers to view our profile

4. Allow future colleges to view our profile

    Revealing our information 

     Growing up, we were all told to never put anything on the Internet that we would not want everyone to see. However, in today's world teenagers and young adults are less concerned with what they are uploading to the Internet because they believe that their privacy settings only allow their friends to view their posts. This is unfortunately not the case. It is actually very easy for information to be revealed or leaked, even with information being set to private. Say a friend has your Facebook page up, all they have to do is right click, copy the picture and do what they will with it. With Facebook's recent upgrade of the "timeline" layout, user's information has been made available to view from years in the past. Within the article titled, Too Much Information , it states that due to the lack of physical interaction a false sense of security is given.

Stalkers 

     By simply "checking in" to where you are currently at on your social media website this gives stalkers your general where about day to day. For example, using the location setting available of Facebook makes it easier for others to pinpoint your wear about. This has been made easier by the use of smart phones. Through this use of technology it often times gets people in trouble without them having bad intentions. Even though social media sites have age restrictions there is not a fool proof way of ensuring they are who they say they are. A person can decide to act like they are younger or older than they really are and actually cause harm to another through law enforcement. Within the article, Social Media: The Digital You & The Social Stalker , it states that your digital self is essentially your online fingerprints. What a lot of people, including me, do not often think of is a stalker does not have to be someone you do not know. Often times, it is someone that in fact you do know. An example that I read about from the above mentioned article is of an ex boyfriend or girlfriend that continues to check up on you. The lesson to learn here is make sure your "friends" on Facebook are actually your friends. Personally, I know when I was in high school I wanted to have as many Facebook friends as possible. This meant that as long as I had heard of their name or was familiar with them I would accept their friend  request. That is what not to do!

Employers

It is suggested that before entering the workforce after college that you clean up your social media websites. Even with private settings employers often times can check your profile online. The article title, Can Having a Social Networking Site Affect Your Job Search? , says that companies try to find a friend of the applicant to view their personal page that way. In this day and age, finding a job is hard enough. Don't do something to lessen the chance of you getting a job interview or the position. 

 College 

     Admissions offices often search social media sites for their current applicants to see what their personality is like. Studies show that by doing this up to 38% of the rejections given can contribute to what was found on their website. 

Sources

http://www.whoswatchingcharlottesville.org/social.html

http://simplisafe.com/blog/home-security-social-media-stalker
http://blogs.longwood.edu/socialmedia3/2012/10/11/can-having-a-social-networking-site-affect-your-job-search/

http://www.optify.net/inbound-marketing/facebook-privacy-google-social-search

http://www.uwosh.edu/deptblogs/career/2012/03/21/social-media-and-your-job-search/

http://www.optify.net/inbound-marketing/facebook-privacy-google-social-search

Privacy Protection Outside the US

Laws and regulation on privacy varies amongst countries. Privacy protection is difficult to regulate for such reason. For example, if someone outside of the United States were to break a U.S. privacy law over the Internet, it is challenging for the United States to enforce punishment on that person due to the fact they are not held accountable to US laws in another country.

Countries that are working to protect their citizens rights on the Internet:

• Germany
• The German Constitutional Court ruled that government surveillance of personal computers was a violation of its citizens privacy rights in 2008
• Canada
• In 2004 passed a Personal information Protection and Electronic Document Act. This act regulates how private-sector organizations collect, use, and disclose personal information by using stricter privacy policies.
• Europe
• EU member nations are not  allowed totransfer personal data to countries with no similar privacy protection

To address the European Union's (EU) concern with the United State's lack of defense against Internet privacy; the U.S. Department of Congress (DOC) put into effect the consultation with European Commission the Safe Harbor Privacy Principals.  The U.S. also has a Safe Harbor framework with Switzerland.  The Safe Harbor frameworks help bridge the difference in views on privacy between countries, and allow U.S. Organizations to  conform with other's privacy laws (Safe Harbor Privacy Framework 1).  A public announcement to the DOC in writing, along with a statement published to their private policy is required of any organization participating in the Safe Harbor agreement. A few requirements of the organizations partaking in the agreement include:

• Must inform Internet users of how, and when data will be collected on the Web and if it will be disclosed to third parties
• Notify users of options for reducing the use and disclosure of such information.
• Put in place precautions to shield the data out of harm's way.

Countries that have less privacy often have more restrictions:

• China
• Political websites are frequently censored
• In April 2012, 16 blogs were shutdown and  6 people were arrested
• Russia
• Very strict on privacy-the court system attempted to ban YouTube in 2012 because of an ultra-nationalist video posted on their website

http://ecommerce.hostip.info/pages/915/Safe-Harbor-Privacy-Framework.html
http://export.gov/safeharbor/eu/eg_main_018476.asp

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/datablog/interactive/2012/apr/16/web-filtering-censorship

Hacking

What is a hacker?

A hacker is someone who accesses a computer system by circumventing its security system. (Hacker 1.)  Online users being hacked is a growing issue related to Internet privacy. Did you know that your entire computer can be hacked, including your hard drive or just websites, such as Facebook and Twitter?

What do hackers take?

 Hackers take our bank account information which allows them to use our money. Hackers take our username and passwords which allow them to see our phone number, personal address and photos. Hackers tap into hospitals information systems and take our personal health records. All of this information can be used to harm us or black mail us, and once they have it there is no way to get it back.

Social Media websites

• Facebook is easiest hacked when a consumer visits a website that has been compromised.
• Over 250,000 people have had their Twitter account hacked already this year.
• Both social media websites suggest you contact them immediately if this happens to you so they may start to resolve the problem.
• Both social media websites state that your password can be reset by the administrator once you have been hacked.

Tips to avoid being hacked

1. Ensure that you have a firewall and it is working correctly
2. Back up all of your important files
3. Erase your "cookies" folder on a regular basis. This can be found in your settings as discussed on a prior blog
4. Install and run an antivirus program. The key in doing this is to make sure the program you install has excellent ratings and does not contain a virus itself. 
5. When you are finished using a computer, even if for a short period of time- disconnect from the Internet and turn your computer off 

Phreaking

Phreaking is a specific type of hacking. Phreaking affects your phone lines and services. An example of this is when noticing your monthly phone bill and it shows you have a number of phone calls you supposedly, but did not, call that were long distance and very costly. With further research I learned that this method has been around since the early eighties. Hackers often time hack by using and uploading a program that cracks passwords and fire walls. 

Sources

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker
• http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet/social-networking/networks/linkedin8.htm
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/feb/16/facebook-hacked
• http://thenextweb.com/twitter/2013/02/02/twitter-confirms-that-it-was-hacked-and-250000-users-may-have-been-compromised/
• http://www.ehow.com/how_4503871_prevent-computer-being-hacked.html
• http://www.123helpme.com/our-privacy-is-in-danger-view.asp?id=159278
• http://owni.eu/2011/07/25/murdochs-hacking-is-despicable-but-is-wikileaks-any-better/
• http://www.techbyte4u.com/2010/07/10-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-being.html
• http://www.pcworld.com/article/45726/article.html

The Cat Signal

Cat Signal is a topic I personally have never heard of before. However, after reading a short article I became increasingly intrigued. The Cat Signal is a type of logo that represents a group of followers that generally believe in the same thing regarding a draft law. This law revolves around CISPA: Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act.  Representative Rogers introduced this act and stated that it was aimed to "Protect America's Internet Interests." The idea of this signal was discussed back in 2012, but was just recently released. The followers that are a part of the Cat Signal belong or associate themselves the the IDL: Internet Defense League. The IDL is defined as, "a website with the aim of organizing future online protests of anti-piracy legislation (Internet Defense League 1)." The Internet Defense League website is made to allow ease of access of  signing up. Detailed league rules and policies can be found at http://internetdefenseleague.org/. From what I gathered by researching the IDL is that this group of people believe that a new Draft law taking place would take away our privacy, and therefore feel that we must rid ourselves of these Government laws.

How To Install the Cat Signal

1. Sign up at the IDL website as mentioned above. For more detailed instructions, visit Instructions. 
2. Grab the code. This is something the IDL website will give you automatically once you have signed up
3. Install on the device of your choice.

What Other's Think 

1. Russia changed their legal system back in 2012 to gain greater control over the Internet
2. China is currently reviewing their Internet draft law and making revisions
3. Germany feels they are already protected thanks to their FDPA: Federal Data Protection Act

What does the IDL do?

• They claim to "save" the Internet when it is in danger
• Leverage their people power for future attacks 
• Form rallies and protests

Sources

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21843911
• http://gizmodo.com/5905360/what-is-cispa
• http://internetdefenseleague.org/
• http://www.exophrine.com/2012/05/theres-new-sheriff-on-internet-and.html
• http://www.digitaltrends.com/web/how-to-install-the-internet-defense-league-cat-signal-on-your-tumblr-blog/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Defense_League
• http://english.cntv.cn/program/newshour/20121224/105163.shtml
• http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-07/20/cat-signal

The Other Kind of Cookies

One of the ways websites keep and access our information online is through cookies. A website’s server puts cookies, a small text file, on a computer’s web browser that transmits information retained from web browser back to the website server. Cookies have unique identifiers associated with them and are used to acknowledge returning users, track purchases online, maintain a record of online searches, or maintain customized web pages. Information collected includes search queries, content viewed, users involvement in advertisement activities, and the time along with the length of visit. This collected information can be used by companies for behavioral advertising, which is discussed in a previous post Online Marketing. Google practices behavioral advertising by collecting private data, as described in the video below.

I have always been uneasy about having an automatic log in for most websites, just because I never know who might use my computer and have access to all my information.  Individual information like passwords or online shopping carts are examples of data can be retained by the use of cookies.  There are many different types of cookies. One type is a session cookie, which expire as a user exits the browser. Another kind is a persistent cookie that may remain for a specified duration of time on a user’s computer. In many cases information collected is typically not distinguishable of personal information (user’s name, physical address, etc). However, it  is likely to associate the collected information with personal information that was provided by consumer at the registration of a website. Other devices for tracking online user activities are flash cookies, web bugs and web beacons.

When speaking of the Office of management and Budget (OMB) President Barack Obama states that, “We built this budget around the idea that our country has always done best when everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules.” The OMB  that was issued on June 2000 addresses the use of cookies on Federal websites (GAO, Internet Privacy 1). When agencies use cookies they must:

1. Provide clear and obvious notification of their use
2. Have a compelling necessity to gather the data on the web site
3. Have appropriate and publicly disclosed privacy safeguards for managing information derived from cookies
4. Have personal authorization by the head of the agency

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d01424.pdf
http://ispot.tv/a/7dNe

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb
"What Is a Copyright Alert?" Center for Copyright Information What Is a Copyright Alert Comments.

N.p., 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. Management Information Systems by Laudon & Laudon.  Twelfth Edition. Prentice Hall, 2012. ISBN: 0-13-214287-2. Chap 4

How to Protect Your Information

In today's fast paced world we have a tendency to take the short route-easiest, cheapest, and quickest way-for everything now that we have technology that continues to improve on a hour basis to back us up. It helps to increase our efficiency in our day-to-day lives, but we sometimes forget there maybe consequences to us living in such a fast paced lifestyle.

Here are some simple tips to help keep your information safe from getting placed into the wrong hands.  

• Learn to resist the temptation to have automatic log-ins on your phones, tablets, and computers. Yes it may save you the trouble of having to remember 20+ account usernames and passwords for various websites, as well as the time it takes to input your log-in information.  However, is that minuscule amount of time really worth the chance of getting your identity stolen which can take years to correct all the damage done to your records (credit score, negative bank accounts, possibly your reputation, etc.), or worse case; you never get it corrected and have to live with the debt and other unfortunate consequences?

• Always read the privacy policy! I do not mean skimming through or just scrolling to the bottom and selecting accepts terms and conditions. You could be agreeing to allow a website holder to use your information, all and any that they may collect, for their own interests without even knowing you did so because you didn't read a few pages of small print.

• Another good tip mentioned in a previous posts, Protecting Your Bank Accounts, do not write your password and username down, because papers can be easily lost and fall into the wrong hands. Try to use things that are easy to remember for you, but not obvious to others. It is best to have longer passwords that contain a combination of, both upper and lower cases letters, numbers, and symbols. 
• Good password example(s): A random combination of your favorite things, such as, Softball!1983. Try to use a phrase and substitute some of he words with letters and numbers. For example, To Cool For You! can be changed into 2cool4U! (Consumer Information 1).
• Bad password examples:   Your name(including  well-known nickname), address, birth date, etc.
• Manage your cookies. Look for the up-coming post to find out what cookies are, and how to control them.
• Don't willingly distribute your contact information to just anyone, or any website without doing some research on who will be getting it and what they will be doing with it. Especially be careful with contest and receiving free items just by giving your contact information.

• Keep personal information on social networking sites at a minimum. If possible don't post your full name, address, phone numbers, social security number, etc. The more information someone can gather about you the easier it is for them to steal your identity. Also, possibly giving them the information they need to allow them the to access security questions to your account, and access your bank and personal information.

What I have bulleted above are just some suggestions I have came across, or thought of. They are tips meant to help save you some time maybe not in the short run, but most certainly in the long term. Please do not think you need to refrain from using the Internet all together for personal activities. This was just simply for your information only; however, I do hope after reading this you will think twice before acting in online activities and take some of the suggestions listed above into consideration. I know we all are guilty of at least one of these if not all.  Although you might not think it can happen to you, you are wrong because unfortunately it can and has happened to many people. 

 

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0272-how-keep-your-personal-information-secure#online
http://mashable.com/2012/10/29/stop-online-tracking/