Most internet users can say that they have, at
some point, provided personal information to a service or company through their
website. Most of us would like to be sure that the information we enter online
is not shared with any third parties or used as a marketing tool, but the truth
is that it is used in these ways. For as long as we are internet users we will
have to accept this. Everything nowadays revolves around commerce and
generating money and people will use whatever tools are available to
them in order to benefit their interest. I am one of the guilty majority
who barely ever reads terms and agreements which means that I am subject to
whatever terms the websites have set. We cannot be mad if they use the
information we provide or if by clicking “I accept the terms and agreements” we
are blindly handing over our information for marketers or anyone to have access
to.
Many
websites and web browsers give users the option to adjust their privacy
settings which gives us some peace of mind but how sure can we be that others
will not have access to our information? We will never know. Not only is the
information we put online used for marketing, it is also used for behavioral
reason. Because of these uses, I do not think we will see any major changes to
online privacy. Also, not everyone is bothered by behavioral targeting and our
web searches and activities being tracked online, some people just use the
internet for whatever they need and do not give privacy much thought.
There should certainly be a way we
can feel protected from others having access to sensitive information like
phone numbers, credit card and banking information, social security number, and
other identity related information but we will have to get used to the idea
that our online activity will always be tracked somehow. Professor Anthony
Miyazaki poses the question: “Is Online Privacy the Ultimate Oxymoron?” in his
blog http://www.sensibleemarketing.com/.
I believe online privacy is an oxymoron. According to Miyazaki a “substantial
number of consumers have voiced concerns over privacy issues which has
motivated Congress to consider various protections to allow consumers to opt
out of online tracking,” I think most people will not bother to do that or
might not even know the option exists. Online tracking benefits many different
causes which leads me to believe it will always exist somehow and we must get
used to it and accept it.
I see what you're saying about accepting certain information sharing as active internet users. I wonder, though, where do we draw the line? What information is too personal and what is okay being shared? I feel like companies will find a way to analyze any sort of data we share with the internet to create marketing stints, formulate guidelines on your health status for insurance rates, or even tag you as a potential terrorist. When for-profit organizations begin to have access to the information that at one time the government only really had access to, I get worried. Again, what is that critical line and is it gradually blurring as we allow and "accept" this atmosphere of data sharing.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, most privacy policies on general websites or newsletters are basically legal information regarding the protection of that particular site. There is definitely room for debate regarding true privacy of a privacy agreement. It is controversial how websites can connect personal privacy with the company's privacy/acceptance. Many companies, as you pointed out, use their privacy agreement to connect their parties to contact or solicit people. This is something that we have to be more aware of in order to protect ourselves.
ReplyDeleteWithin sites that we share our personal information with, most sites require us to check off a privacy agreement. In these agreements, the companies Not only protect themselves from legal issues, but also state that our personal and private information may be shared with third parties or throughout their company for solicitation purposes. As consumers, we see the terms and agreements so often that we check the box without thoroughly reading through. In this agreement the company can usually explain how our information will be used with third parties or as a marketing tool. So we have to ask ourselves, do we know what we are getting ourselves into by giving out our personal information online? Are the companies who use term and agreement pages to protect themselves really doing anything wrong?
Within sites that we share our personal information with, most sites require us to check off a privacy agreement. In these agreements, the companies Not only protect themselves from legal issues, but also state that our personal and private information may be shared with third parties or throughout their company for solicitation purposes. As consumers, we see the terms and agreements so often that we check the box without thoroughly reading through. In this agreement the company can usually explain how our information will be used with third parties or as a marketing tool. So we have to ask ourselves, do we know what we are getting ourselves into by giving out our personal information online? Are the companies who use term and agreement pages to protect themselves really doing anything wrong?
ReplyDelete