Blog Post #8: Privacy Online and Off

Technology is a great tool that allows us to communicate with our loved ones and gives us the opportunity to learn something new every day. However, as discussed in the TED talks, technology can also be the reason our privacy is violated.

 Juan Enriquez talked about the idea that tattoos can reveal a lot about a person's values, personality, personal story, and past mistakes without them even having to say a word. On the other hand, large corporations have the ability to do this as well. Juan Enriquez refers to this as Electronic Tattoos, where our online life is as permanent as a tattoo. Anything we post or say on social media could be used against us. This is why we should be mindful of the image we are creating for ourselves by having a social media platform. An article posted on TED Blog  states that the solution to these issues isn't to get rid of social media completely but to be thoughtful, smart, and conscious of our decisions and the consequences of our actions. 

Catherine Crump says that location information can be very sensitive, the government can use mass location tracking. This is a huge invasion of privacy because location should only be shared with family and friends. Crump claims that this information used to be private, but thanks to modern technology the government can now identify what each citizen is up to behind closed doors. As an out-of-state college student who also has a car on campus, I feel uncomfortable with the fact that there is a mass tracking system on my phone that knows where I am at all times. This could be very dangerous because this information could potentially be taken into the hands of human traffickers. 

In contrast, Christopher Soghohian addresses a similar issue, but this time with the use of telephones and the networks that carry our calls. Without us knowing, the government has the ability to hear personal conversations with our loved ones. I was intrigued by the fact that these were wired for the purpose of surveillance first.  The last issue that was addressed by Darieth Chisolm, is the lack of registration and laws to protect victims who have had nude photos posted of them online without their consent. According to the Data and Society Research Institute, 1 in 25 women are impacted by this issue. Additionally, there is only one federal bill pending and there are no tough penalties. As a result, many women have suffered from damaged reputations and relationships as well as fallen into illness and depression.  

All of these issues that were just discussed need to start being taken more seriously by government officials, invasion of privacy has huge negative impacts on mental health because citizens are living in fear and anxiety even though they did nothing wrong. There should be more measures put in place by the government that prohibit private information from being easily accessible. We can protect ourselves from the invasion of privacy by creating and maintaining a support system filled with people we trust and keep us accountable. Additionally, speaking up about these issues helps create awareness for the victims who have been affected and encourages the government to take action.