Author Archives: sdooling

U.S. Congressional Attempts at legislating the digital realm were stunted back in January by widespread protests of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) — measures that sought to prevent online piracy. Even still, efforts live on in the most recent House Resolution — the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) — which passed the House of Representatives by a margin of 248 to 168 on Friday.

CNET News recently offered a thorough FAQ about the new measure, explaining the basics and how the average Internet user might be affected.

In sum, CISPA seeks to grant Internet companies permission to share personal user information with federal authorities in the name of preventing or halting breaches in cybersecurity. Seems reasonable enough at first glance. But, as Declan McCullagh reported for CNET, “…it would usher in a new era of information sharing between companies and government agencies — with limited oversight and privacy safeguards.”

Unlike the anti-SOPA and PIPA  movements, which saw online giants like Facebook and Wikipedia leading the charge, the passage of CISPA is widely supported by Internet companies. And this is where your online privacy becomes a factor.

Even if you are well versed in the intricacies of protecting your online identity and privacy, a piece of legislation like CISPA has the potential to compromise your autonomy when it comes to shared information between Internet companies and government authorities.

Educate yourself about CISPA and gauge where you stand on the issue.

Take a minute to think about how you share information everyday: online purchases, web banking, emails, text messages, ‘checking-in’ on Facebook, tweets, blog posts, etc. Almost no one is immune to digital transactions of personal information on a daily basis these days, and with each of these seemingly mundane dealings comes a certain degree of responsibility and accountability.

Earlier this week, an article in the Vancouver Sun called into question the protections that are in place to ensure that the benefits and perks of an online lifestyle outweigh the risks associated with a traceable routine.

Several experts chimed in and the consensus was seemingly one of inevitability. People want to be involved in the digital world, they want to feel included in social media networks and they want the convenience of utilities such as GPS location and digital records.

But what the experts also agreed upon was the need for the public to hold companies and organizations accountable for the protection of their information.  Ours is the first society to rely so heavily on the online realm in nearly every facet of our lives; professional, personal and financial. As such, it is crucial to remain vigilant when it comes to password protections, checking online bank statements and maintaing the integrity of your online image.

There’s really no way to be certain how this transparency and newfound desire to share information will impact our notion of privacy in the long term, but for now it’s safe to say that we’re shaping that future with every click of the mouse.

The new online dating website, Peeked Interest, is raising some questions around privacy and security in an increasingly digital world.

Darryl McIvor, a recent graduate of the global business program at UVic, is teaming up with Frans Kouwenhoven, a UBC software engineering student, to introduce the new style of online courtship.

At this stage in development, the site is only open to people with a UBC email address. Content depends on registered users snapping anonymous photos of people they find attractive — on the bus, in the Student Union Building, or in the library —  and then uploading those photos to the site. Others can then browse the online gallery, identifying any photos of themselves that they might come across.

The individual can then choose to either immediately click on ‘Report’, which will result in the photo being taken down from the site, or can confirm ‘This is Me’, putting them in touch with the person who posted the photo.

The idea is that people who might find approaching someone in person a little too intimidating can instead find solace behind the protection of their iPhone, hoping that the powers of curiosity and the Internet are enough to connect them with that special person. Critics of the site, however, are worried that encouraging people to take unsolicited photos of others, and furthermore suggesting that those unsolicited photos be posted online, borders on an invasion of online privacy.

Whether you think this style of e-dating verges on stalker-ish behaviour, or find yourself overcome with curiosity at the prospect of a secret admirer — the bottom line is that you should know how to date safely online before venturing onto this site or any other online dating forum. While it’s true that Peeked Interest is only available to individuals with UBC email addresses, it’s still important to be cautious of unwanted attention — even from fellow students.

Being aware of how to protect your online identity and privacy helps to ensure that you have a good experience with cyber-dating, guaranteeing that the connections you make are the connections you want.

It’s true, there’s plenty to be concerned about when it comes to protecting your online identity. From stolen passwords and phishing scams to address books and online calendars – the sheer amount of personal  information swirling around the internet can paralyze us with paranoia. But a recent blog post on The New Yorker website suggests a casual vigilance that could very well save your sanity and your identity.

Nicholas Thompson draws a poignant metaphor in his blog, writing that:

“Privacy snafus are to social networks as violence is to football. The whole point of social networks is to share stuff about people that’s interesting, just as the whole point of football is to upend the guy with the ball. Every so often, someone gets paralyzed, which prompts us to add padding to the helmets or set new rules about tackling. Then we move on.”

In other words, Thompson argues that we shouldn’t necessarily find privacy breaches shocking considering that the very nature of social networks is to share information – occasionally of a rather personal nature. The trick is to focus your revisionary prowess on the stuff that matters the most – like online fraud.

This idea of picking and choosing your privacy battles was introduced in an essay published last year by Benjamin Wittes, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. In his essay, “Databuse,” Wittes asserts that the cache of demographic information collected by advertisers and social networks is something to be conscious of but perhaps not worthy of keeping you up at night. Instead, what really warrants our attention is the way that our personal information is being used.

As Thompson explains for The New Yorker, the overlapping channels through which our personal information is shared online produces the most cause for concern. “We need to be certain that insurance companies can’t raise our rates after they learn we’ve searched for “irregular heartbeat” online,” he writes.

Lawmakers are trying to catch up with the issue of internet privacy and the free flow of information in an ever increasingly connected world. But in the meantime, the best defense against fraud is likely an aggressive offense. Be aware of the information you’re sharing online, keep your passwords private and be sure to monitor your online accounts.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2012/03/how-to-get-privacy-right.html