Blog #7: Internet Privacy

     The Internet is something that my generation has grown up with. Having full Internet access is something that could be considered both a positive and negative. For people like my parents, the Internet is something new to them, and since they didn't grow up with the world at their fingertips, they are still learning the do's and don'ts of the Internet. This is why growing up, my parents were always cautious of my activity on the Internet, and would always tell me to be careful of what I'm posting, because once it's out there it will never go away, and you never know who will be seeing your personal information. The discussion this week of the Internet and its lack of privacy is a conversation that I am all too familiar with, but is never a conversation that should go over people's heads. People often don't realize the severity of lack of privacy online.

          

    To learn more about Internet privacy, (or in better terms, lack thereof) I watched a TedTalk video titled "Ideas Worth Spreading". The video starts by stating all of the good things the Internet has brought us, like communication with people far away, and answers to a lot of questions that we don't know the answer to at the top of our heads. The speaker then goes into some scary facts, like that with each email we send comes at a cost: our personal information. This ensures that our Internet data can and will outlive us. People have come up with solutions to the privacy issue, with the creation of encryption, which is where you encrypt a connection between your computer and the email server, which encrypts the data that sits on the server as well. But the email servers also have the encryption keys, so you essentially "have a lock with a big key right next to it". This is one of the ways that show how people think they are being safe and private, but nothing is actually private about it. 

    The Internet is a huge place, with plenty of room for every individual's private information. Overall, there are ways to feel like you are being safe and private on the Internet, but there really is no way to hide your private information. If people want to find it, then chances are they will, with pretty minimal effort. Being cautious about the things you say and do online are people's best bets at staying safe from exposure, even if you think you are being private.