Internet Dilemmas
The internet has brought numerous benefits to society, but it has also introduced dilemmas that affect privacy, security, and ethics.
Privacy, Anonymity, and Surveillance
Privacy
- The right to control personal information and decide who can access it.
- Privacy is a fundamental right, but the internet makes it challenging to maintain.
Social Media: Platforms like Facebook and Instagram collect user data to personalize ads. Users often share personal information without realizing how it is used.
Anonymity
- The ability to hide one's identity online.
- Anonymity can be beneficial for freedom of expression but can also be misused.
Anonymous Forums: Platforms like Reddit allow users to share opinions without revealing their identity. However, this can lead to issues such as cyberbullying or illegal activities.
Surveillance
- The monitoring of online activities by governments or companies.
- Surveillance raises ethical concerns about privacy and freedom.
China's Social Credit System: Utilizes surveillance to monitor citizens' behavior, affecting their access to services.
The Right to be Forgotten
- The ability to request the removal of personal information from the internet.
- This right is controversial as it balances privacy with freedom of information.
Google's Removal Requests: Users can request the removal of search results containing personal data.
Spyware and Identity Theft
Spyware
- Malicious software that collects information without the user's knowledge.
- Spyware can track online activities, stealing sensitive data.
Keyloggers: Record keystrokes to capture passwords and personal information.
Identity Theft
- The unauthorized use of personal information to commit fraud.
- Identity theft can lead to financial losses and damage to reputation.
Equifax Data Breach (2017): Exposed personal information of 147 million people, leading to identity theft.
Cybercrime
Illegal activities conducted online or using digital technologies.
Hacking
- Unauthorized access to computer systems or networks.
- Hacking can lead to data breaches, theft, or disruption of services.
Sony PlayStation Network Hack (2011): Exposed personal information of 77 million users.
Common Mistake- Most people associate hacking as something innately negative.
- In practice, hacking can also be ethical, where hackers are hired to purposefully breach an organization's security to inform them of potential future issues.
- Ethical hacking is also known as "white-hat" hacking.
- On the other hand, some hackers are "unethical", meaning that they maliciously breach security for their own gain.
