Do you often, spending almost all your free time online, chatting with friends or watching a movie, worry about the safety of your leisure time? Technology is continually developing and is being incorporated into almost all aspects of people’s daily operations. It is widely used in communication, the medical field, industrial production, and scientific research. Technology has simplified the way things are; operations are now faster, more reliable, and more efficient. Information and communication technology is one of the commonly used forms of technology that has seen the number of users rising up, leading to immense growth in this sector. This has enabled people to communicate and share information with ease and at a cheaper cost. However, the growth has come with a lot of concerns about online privacy. This concern has left many people wondering what online privacy is all about, how it affects this sector and its significance. Online privacy is a debatable topic in civilized societies, as companies that provide websites and applications can secretly trade user information for their benefit; it makes people look for ways to protect their data.
Online privacy is based on personal information that should not be allowed to settle in the hands of third parties. This information is critical, and the internet user or the person in charge of keeping such information in an organization should always ensure no one gets access. When users are asked to provide personal information while using the internet, they should ensure they log out, delete or encrypt the information. This will make it impossible for a third party to access and retrieve this sensitive data (Black et al.). The internet users should also turn off ad personalization which companies may be using to track their online activities and profile them for tailored ads. On the hand, companies handling data should ensure during collection, sharing, and storage, no third party has access to this personal information by enhancing security. Therefore, online privacy can be defined as the seclusion of internet users’ personal information from access and usage by an unauthorized third party.
Targeting and advertising cookies are meant to monitor your internet usage and collect information about browsing data used to display advertisements tailored to the user. The information gathered has internet users browsing history, which advertising companies can use to determine your favorite browsing sites and send their ads there. These companies can also collect users’ personal information and build a profile that they can use to determine which ads can be sent to particular users (Black et al.). Some cookies can also be used to gather information on the movements and location of the user and use the data to send related to the location. The biggest concern about these advertising companies is the criteria used to design these tailored ads. Collecting users’ data without prior consent is an infringement of that person’s right to online privacy. Therefore, online privacy can be defined as the entitlement of an internet user to be free from unwarranted solicitation of personal information while using or connected to the internet.
The dictionary definition of online privacy is insufficient to bring out the intended meaning; its definition is brief with technical terms. In this case, the definition has been achieved by a broader description of what online privacy is and a case scenario that aids in understanding it deeper. These cases will simplify the understanding of online privacy and advocate for it to be embraced. These People do not take the issue of online privacy with the intensity it deserves, and that is why a case study had to be attached to reflect on the reality. This has led to uncalled-for suffering for the victims whose personal information has been used for selfish personal interests. A common example is impersonation, where someone uses the personal information of another person to commit fraud or crime. Such cases are contributed by personal negligence in keeping personal information away from the public. When people take the privacy of personal information seriously, no one will be subjected to suffering; as a result, crimes are conducted through impersonation.
In conclusion, this paper has brought a clearer meaning of what online privacy means and its significance. It guides what to do with the personal information that has been shared over the internet to ensure that no third party should have access. The steps to secure the privacy of such information include logging out, deleting, or even encrypting such data. Internet users are advised to turn off ad personalization on their devices to prevent advertising companies from tracking their devices’ internet usage and acquiring information to build the ads’ profile. Companies handling personal information should have a strong security system to guarantee information safety. Companies use targeting and advertising cookies to keep track of users’ internet usage and location. The information gathered by these cookies is used to determine which types of ads suit the internet user. It can be used to build a personal profile on activities and preferences. The dictionary definition of online privacy is inadequate, and it does not bring full meaning. However, better meanings have been derived by incorporating a case study to aid the understanding.
Work Cited
Black, Carolyn, et al. “Online Data Privacy from Attitudes to Action: an Evidence Review.”The Carnegie UK Trust, 2018.