Online Privacy

Computer Care: Privacy online doesn’t exist, but that needs to be changed

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED: March 5, 2011 2:29 a.m.


Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly on the Business page and on gainesvilletimes.com.

Every e-mail you send, every page you visit, each form you fill out, all the ads you click on and all the products you buy online are all there to see for anyone who wants to.

Then there is the information you place on the Internet willingly. All that personal information, those photos, your plans, your thoughts and those quotes you published to Facebook.

You've heard of Internet privacy? I believe it's but a concept, something that could have been a benefit, but we let slip away. Remember when it was just our Social Security numbers we were worried about? Well, we are way past that now.

There used to be so-called paper trails of what people did. Now there are virtual trails, and they are just as real. One day, it may be used against you.

A Barrow County teacher lost her job due to a photo she posted on Facebook. She was on vacation, out of the country, holding a beer. And I thought Prohibition was over.

A Florida teen was convicted of murder because of a voicemail that was left on a cell phone.

It's not just computers now - cell phones, too, are open to ad companies and anyone else, including law enforcement.

Nothing is private anymore. Advertising companies track every mouse click we make, and it's worth billions to them. A 2009 study cited that interactive ads were responsible for $300 billion of economic activity in the U.S. alone. Globally, $10 trillion is currently being spent online each year.

Clearly, someone is making money via the Internet. The ad companies claim that curbing the tracking of our online habits will ultimately harm the economy. Allowing them to track us is a big price to pay. Our privacy should be paramount.

Our Internet service providers, and who knows who else, have access to our e-mails. They are about as private as talking into a microphone at a filled auditorium. E-mail letters are more like postcards. They are open for anyone to see along the delivery route.

Would you give the kid at the checkout your phone number and address, age and Social Security number or allow the postman to read your mail? Of course we wouldn't. But we do.

Sure you can use private mode, clean your cookies and install filters. You can opt out of certain websites for data gathering, even take advantage of privacy policies and clear your web bugs. But you are still being watched, one way or another. Big brother is out there. Remember, just because we're paranoid, doesn't mean we're not being watched.

Encryption is probably the best (but not the easiest) way to ensure anonymity in sending e-mails. You could also use a proxy server to surf the Web anonymously.

There are other proactive things you can do, but how effective are they really? The jury is still out.

For now, take advantage of the usefulness of things like Privacy Choice, Privacy Mark, TRUSTe, SquareTrade and BBBOnline. Look for their seals on websites that you frequent.

Install a good Internet security program, not just an anti-virus but one that will warn you of other imminent dangers.

Use of a throwaway e-mail address, one that you won't check for incoming mail, will ease spam. Mailinator is a great free one. Use it to sign up for things instead of using your own "real" account.

Be careful if you use a company computer. They own it and everything in it, just like the contents of your desk.

It's time for laws to be passed to protect our online activity. Some have tried and others are working on it.

Last month, a "Do Not Track" bill was introduced in Congress. Its goal is to prevent Internet advertisers from tracking what we do online. The bill is similar to the Do Not Call Registry that is used to curb the activity of telemarketers.

The new tracking bill would only work if we choose to elect to not be tracked, just like with the phone solicitation bill. If we don't take advantage, or know, of what's in place, nothing changes. We would not be protected if we didn't opt out. Maybe we need something stronger.

Recently, Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., and Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., introduced privacy bills, and at least one Republican will also be introducing a bill soon.

Congressmen from Florida and Texas are also working on other Internet privacy bills.

Meanwhile, until legislation is passed, be cautious of what links you click on, what e-mails you respond to and what you post on Facebook. Be wary each time you fill out an online form. Make sure the website is secure (https) before you purchase anything online.

Write to your Congress members and to the White House. Tell them we need better privacy laws concerning the Internet.

Let's seal the envelope on e-mails and make advertisers earn their money the old fashioned way instead of snooping. Better legislation may be the key.

Just remember, if it's an e-mail you're writing, you never know who else will be reading it.