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June 12, 2007
Protect Yourself Online. Privacy
The Internet is fast becoming a dominant medium for business and communication, it still resembles something of a frontier because there is little regulation. As this frontier grows in size and scope, it is becoming the focus of politicians and government officials who want to regulate it.
Although some aspects of the Internet could probably use some regulation, this task is not as simple as it may seem. The very nature of the Internet–a loose constellation of millions of computers flung across the globe–makes it difficult, if not impossible to regulate. At the same time, the absence of regulations means that everyone who uses this essentially public network can be a target for anyone who has the technical know-how and the will to invade their privacy.
While the threat from hackers is low for individuals, a more serious threat to personal privacy comes from companies that operate websites. Many websites require you to register before you can use the service. Often you must provide the site with personal information, such as your name, address, e-mail address and profession. Then when you browse the site, data is collected as to which pages you visited, how long you remained on each page, which link you clicked, what terms you searched, and so on. Eventually, a profile emerges. The question is, what do site operators do with this information?
Most claim that they use it to personalize your experience on the site. For instance, if a gardening site knows you are interested in heirloom vegetables, the next time you visit the site, you might be presented with an article about rare tomatoes. But some websites sell this information to marketers, which means that you may find yourself receiving catalogs from garden suppliers.
Junk mail is more of an annoyance than a serious problem. But what if you are reading articles about cancer on a women’s health website. Would you want this information revealed to insurance companies? Most people would consider that an invasion of privacy.
Many websites now post their privacy policies online. Before you reveal personal information, read the policy to make sure you agree with it. Some sites specifically ask if you want to be contacted by third parties or receive e-mail updates. For more information about consumer privacy, visit TRUSTe.
If you don’t want your web surfing behavior to be tracked without your consent, you can configure your web browser to reject cookies. A cookie is a small file that is created and installed on your computer’s hard drive by a website that wants to collect information about your interaction with the site. As you browse through the site, information is stored in the cookie. The next time you return to the site, that data is transmitted to the website.
Only the site that created it can read a cookie, and it does not have access to the other files on your computer. Cookies can be useful for things like storing passwords, so you don’t have to enter it each time you want to access a website. But cookies are invasive because they are normally set without your consent.
To control cookies when using Netscape Navigator, click on Preferences under the Edit menu, then click on Advanced. You can now choose whether to accept or reject all cookies or to be warned before a cookie is placed on your computer.
With Internet Explorer, select Internet Options under the Tools menu. Now click the Security tab and then click the Custom Level button. Scroll down the list until you see the cookie choices and make the appropriate selection by clicking the box.
Encryption
You can protect the privacy of your electronic communications by using encryption, a form of cryptography. Encryption requires special software to encode your e-mail or any other files you want to send securely over the Internet. The person receiving these files needs the same software to decode them. The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) has an exhaustive online Guide to Privacy Resources that includes both online and print resources, as well as information about related conferences and events. There are also a number of good sources of information on cryptography and privacy, such as Ohio State University’s Cryptography FAQ. There’s also the World Wide Web Virtual Library’s Cryptography, PGP, and Your Privacy which provides another exhaustive list of related resources as well as information on how to get PGP (Pretty Good Privacy), which is a popular encryption software.
If you are concerned about the government’s efforts to regulate the Internet and how it might affect your rights, visit the Electronic Frontier Foundation for current and historical information on the subject.
