Privacy Of The 21st Century No Longer Exists - 1600 Words

Privacy in the 21st Century no longer exists. Bill Gates stated, â€Å"That historically privacy was almost implicit, because it was hard to find and gather information. But in the digital world, whether it s digital cameras or satellites or just what you click on, we need to have more explicit rules - not just for governments but for private companies†. Even though the advancement of Information Technology (IT) is not the problem, the problem is the information that is available is not protected from misuse. The advancement of IT controls every aspect of our day to day lives, infringes on Americans civil liberties and has become more antagonistic and intrusive. For this reason privacy in the 21st century no longer exists. Today, technological†¦show more content†¦IT privacy settings provide you with the illusion of security; it’s the same premise as a gated community. Bottom line at the end of the day, if someone wants in, they’re coming in. Your privacy may have been sacred once but now your information is available to anyone PRIVACY NO LONGER EXISTS who wants it. Not only are Americans conducting their lives online, but they are also storing their communications and transactions there. Take shopping for example. Gone are the days of just going down to the local market place to grab your groceries without having the feeling of someone monitoring your purchases. Now with every swipe of your credit/debit card, IT allows industries to store your data. What you purchased, how often you purchase an item, your consumption habits, where you shop and even your likes and dislikes. Then out of nowhere you check your mailbox and there is a coupon for that yogurt you like so much from your local market place. Not giving any account of how or why it was delivered, you don’t recall filling out anything to receive this special yogurt coupon, but the information that has been collected on you allowed for the delivery and you check your smartphone for what else may be on sell. IT even affects how we use and integrate our lives with the ever changing smartphones. Rather using smartphones to access e-mail, download applications, obtain directions, shop, receive recommendations, purchase/download music, make appointments,