Internet Information Privacy And Confidentiality

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Introduction

The internet plays a significant role in our daily lives and work. One of the great advantages of using the internet is abundance of information. People can explore a variety of information about any subjects. Search engines such as Google enables people to get desired information in a fast way. Another prominent advantage of using the internet is communicating with people across the world. The internet also opens the door to various risks and threats. The internet has caused ethical debates on information privacy. This essay presents the concepts of internet, information privacy and ethics. This essay argues that information privacy is associated with the aspects of the ethical duty of confidentiality, internet censorship as well as internet security, and believes that the three aspects lead to the ethical debate about information privacy and influence information privacy.

Concept of Internet, Information Privacy and Ethics

The internet refers to a system of network in which computer networks in the worldwide are connected and users with permission can obtain information or data from other computers. It is also known as the global information system. Initially, the internet was designed to facilitate the academic communication among universities in the United States. The internet today has become a tool for the general public. Thus it can be understood as an influential facility. It can be categorised as commercial internet, educational internet and governmental internet. When a user has the access to the internet, the user can obtain substantial information from numerous web pages.

Information Privacy

Information privacy is a term related to personal data on information systems (Britz, 1996). The requirement of protecting information privacy is applicable to different personal information such as website information, financial records or medical details. There are various types of information privacy-internet information privacy, financial information privacy as well as medical information privacy. Internet information privacy is the focus of this essay. Internet information privacy is a primary concern of internet users who uses social networking websites, plays online games, purchases products over the internet or many other online activities (Britz, 1996). If a user’s PIN number or password is stolen or revealed, this user’s personal identity can be fraudulently used.

Ethics

Ethics are fundamental principles that govern human conduct. It qualifies human conduct and determines whether such conduct is good or bad and right or wrong (Babor, 2006). Ethics requires a person to behave properly as a human being. It actually deals with good or bad and right or wrong human behaviours (Babor, 2006). Ethics provides fundamental principles for human behaviour. However, it does not guarantee that a person will act good or right. In fact, a person can be moral or good only if such personal applies ethics into his behaviour (Babor, 2006).

Overview of the Internet and Internet Information Privacy

As information technology involves, people derive a great number of benefits from using the internet. If people have internet access, they can share information or data with anyone in the worldwide. Researchers can talk to each other to obtain feedbacks or share updates. It is an economical way to share information with others by using the internet. Also, people are aware of that a substantial amount of information is deposited on a lot of web servers of the internet. People can find and collect abundant information from millions and billions websites. Popular and powerful search engines such as Google enable people to collect latest data and information for meeting different needs. Information stored over the internet is usually free of charge and available for twenty four hours a day. Another benefit of using the internet is people can communicate with anyone through using the internet. There are different communication solutions. Email, video conferencing and instant messages are widely popular around the world.

The power of the internet can connect people across the world and enables the flow of information. The internet makes large volumes of information and data available to the general public. However, a number of issues concerning the internet spark debates. For instance, Amazon, the online book seller has forced many traditional book stores to close (Solove et al, 2006). Also, the digital divide leads to a wide range of social implications (Solove et al, 2006). As a matter of fact, people have to face and deal with these issues. Among them, the ethical impact of the internet on information privacy has attracted a lot of attention (Solove et al, 2006). Information privacy is a right to control and manage how personal information stored over the internet is accessed, used, collected and shared with others. Many technologies can be used to capture personal information. Internet information privacy is associated with confidentiality. When people use browsers to surf the internet, their activities are recorded in browsers and cookies. Personal identities can be revealed through information collected by cookies and browsers. Internet information privacy is also associated with internet censorship. In addition, Internet information privacy is related to internet security.

Internet Information Privacy and Confidentiality

The concept of confidentiality is different from that of internet information privacy. Confidentiality concerns information or data about individuals, and is about refraining others from disclosing personal information or data to unauthorised parties. Privacy relates to individuals. It involves individual control over sharing information with others. Also, the concepts of confidentiality and privacy are linked. When personal information and data are gathered, stored or shared, people need to consider the issue of privacy and the issue of confidentiality. Confidentiality is a primary ethical duty provided in ethical frameworks such as codes of ethics of a specific profession or association (Babor, 2006). In the context of the internet, privacy involves an individual right to decide what information can be collected and how such information can be used, to access personal information and to enjoy anonymity. Confidentiality, in the context of the internet, is about implementing security arrangements for protecting personal information and ensuring the safety of computer systems and equipments (Kelly & McKenzie, 2002). When websites fails to take the ethical duty of confidentiality, personal information and data are disclosed and revealed, internet information privacy can be violated.

There is a view that technology solutions or methods can help to achieve or enhance confidentiality. Internet service providers can use firewalls to recognise where queries or messages come from, and only permit those IP addresses that are considered good and trusted. Cookies are a type of technology that can be utilised to capture personal information such as browsing preferences, shopping habits or internet usage preferences (Brown & Muchira, 2004). JavaScript is typically used to write cookies. Although internet users may use different browsers, they can delete cookies files to protect personal information or data. Kelly and McKenzie (2002) believe that a popular encryption technique can be adopted to protect data in transit. This technique is called message encryption. If two users want to exchange information and data, both of them can use algorithms in a form of pass phrase. Information exchanged between the two users will be encrypted, and both users need to use pubic and private keys to decrypt and encrypt information. Kelly and McKenzie (2002) also introduce digital signature as a way of protecting the flow of information.

However, ensuring internet information privacy is more about carrying out the ethical duty of confidentiality rather than only applying high technology solutions into practice. Internet service providers, internet businesses, websites and many others who deal with personal information have an ethical duty to keep the information of users or customers confidential. Many businesses claim that they might collect personal data or information for improving their services or target advertising. However, it is found that many of these businesses make huge profit by selling personal information. For example, email addresses of users can be traded. The worse scenario is that personal financial or medical information is revealed and sold. Internet businesses that have access to personal data or information are required to make sure that they do not compromise code of ethics by disclosing personal identifiable information. They need to justify the objectives and purposes for using personal information or data. Also, the person who uses personal information should understand his responsibilities, and use the minimum information.

Internet Information privacy and Internet Censorship

Censorship refers to the control over the flow of information within a particular society. Censorship has been understood as a moral and legal process within which the authority agrees to limit what individuals can do or say (Bitso et al, 2012). Traditionally, censorship can be achieved through examining contents of books, films, television programs, news and many other forms of communication. With the rapid growth of the internet, the trend is transiting from traditional censorship to internet censorship (Bitso et al, 2012). The internet has provided opportunities for people to access different kinds of information. Internet censorship and empowers individual to communicate with international audience. Internet censorship can be determined and undertaken by government authorities or non-government bodies. Internet censored contents may vary greatly based on different countries or cultures.

There is argument that internet censorship is necessary. Governments can use internet censorship to screen websites and internet activities that may be illegal nature. Many adult websites provide woman and child pornography. With internet censorship, governments can filter and also censor sexually contents. Children can be prevented from viewing these materials. Internet pornography is viewed as an influential problem. Pornography advocates violent and sexual abuse of women or children, and internet revolution makes easy access to pornography. People who watch internet pornography are more likely to commit crimes such as rape, molestation or even murder (Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011). It is really a part of government’s responsibility to apply internet censorship into managing the internet. Child pornography or any other internet businesses that carry out illegal activities can not be tolerated. Apart from internet pornography, internet censorship implemented by internet service providers can protect users from email spam. Usually, email spam may include malware or phishing schemes which attempt to steal personal information and data. By implementing internet filtering, internet service providers can guard internet users against spam and financial loss. Consequently, internet censorship with respect to illegal activities is considered necessary (Ekholm & Karhula, 2012).

The debate about internet censorship and individual information privacy has been around for a long time. China is a typical example of breach of information privacy. The Chinese government uses the special force of cyber police to observe, monitor and control internet users. For instance, sensitive words or topics such as Tiananmen Square or Fa Lun Gong are highly restricted. Internet companies in China are required by the government to filter sensitive words and topics and restrain internet search results (Ekholm & Karhula, 2012). Google has withdrawn its business operation from China because of internet censorship. The Chinese government is afraid of enabling internet users to access political information. As a result, the government closely monitors all data of internet users and overrides the right of information privacy of internet users. In 2008, the Australian government proposed to install a mandatory internet filtering to deal with child pornography (Nicholson, 2008). With the implementation of the mandatory internet filtering, the government will know what and when internet users watch. Many people believe that information privacy could be greatly threatened by installing the mandatory internet filtering (Nicholson, 2008). The Australian government eventually gave up such form of internet censorship.

Internet Information Privacy and Internet Security

The internet has become an integral part of our work and daily lives. People need to use the internet to get access to their financial records, banking statements, tax returns and other sensitive individual information. While the internet offers good things to people, it causes serous and destructive threats to people. While people and businesses enjoy the high-speed internet connections, they also have concerns of internet security. In fact, internet security is an urgent issue facing personal and commercial internet users (Ekholm & Karhula, 2012). Internet access is affordable to people since the cost of broadband services has decreased. Also it is an indispensable component of businesses. Breaches to internet security may lead to violations of information privacy (Solove et al, 2006). When unauthorised people obtain access to personal information, they can read and copy such personal information. The breach of internet security caused by poor data handling can also result in violation of information privacy (Solove et al, 2006).. It is noted that in some industries such as banking and finance, it is a strict obligation to protect information privacy. Banking institutions and financial consulting companies are required to protect customer’s information such as residential address, financial records and other sensitive information. If the information is hacked and stolen, these organisations are considered violate customer’s right of information privacy.

Personal computers, laptops or other devices usually have virus protection, but they are lack of strong safeguards. The computer and network systems of commercial companies and government are installed with security protection solutions. However, these organisations still face the issue of internet security due to their complexity. A survey finds that over 95% of internet users have limited protection from online attacks (Bigplant, ). According to Information Warfare Task Force, almost 20 million people possessed skills and experience to hack computers in 2002. The internet is vulnerable to hackers. A successful attack can lead to great loss of valuable personal data. The number of victims of cyber crime has been growing, ranging from virus attacks, identity theft and email scams in the online environment (Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011).

Conclusion

It is true that the internet plays a significant role in our lives and work, and people derive a great number of benefits from using the internet. Internet Information privacy is a right to control and manage how personal information stored over the internet is accessed, used, collected and shared with others. In the first, internet information privacy is associated with confidentiality. Confidentiality in the online environment is about implementing security arrangements for protecting personal information and ensuring the safety of computer systems and equipments. When websites fails to take the ethical duty of confidentiality, personal information and data are disclosed and revealed, internet information privacy can be violated. Ensuring internet information privacy is more about carrying out the ethical duty of confidentiality. Secondly, internet information privacy is also associated with internet censorship. Although internet censorship with respect to managing illegal activities is necessary, it can violate the right of information privacy. In addition, internet information privacy is related to internet security. Breaches to internet security may lead to violations of information privacy.