Internet Privacy

Both of these reading about privacy on the internet really shed some light on how vulnerable we actually are when sharing information online. We sometimes tend to feel safe because we are hiding behind a keyboard. We can say whatever we want, do whatever we want. But the truth is that everything we do on the web becomes stored data. When we search for a product online or visit a website we’ll more often than not receive ads for that product or site tailored just for us. When you visit a website it creates a cookie that can be retrieved later if you visit the site again. It can also be used to store personal data and passwords so you won’t have to manually enter it again. Sites like Google can use this data to tell you how many times and the last date that you visited a website. And can be used to track searches you’ve made. On Facebook you can see who’s single and who’s in a relationship. Who’s dating who. What sites or groups a person liked. A lot of people find it to be an invasion of their privacy but at the same time we do have some control of what we choose to put on the internet, although not all. And because it’s participatory this makes it hard to enforce strict laws to effectively protect users online.