Discussion Forum Unit 1 – CS-2205

Impact of the Internet on privacy

The Internet is a global network and provides many benefits.  Please research and
consider the impact of the Internet on privacy.  Locate at least two current articles about
monitoring user activity online by private companies or governments.  Why are users
monitored, how can they prevent this, can privacy be accomplished online?  Please
make sure to cite sources in the APA style.

In current highly digitalized world, all our online activities are under surveillance by
many parties for example our Governments and private technology companies such as
Facebook and Google. I found one article which mentioned US governments and its
other 40 trading partners are constantly monitoring online users search patterns and
behaviours when using Google search engine. The paper suggested that the
surveillances behaviour of US government has the potential to dampened the
profitability of US-based internet firm in long run (Marthews & Tucker, 2017). Another
article also mentioned that Internet users in China are also having similar issue and the
Chinese government actually implemented a filtering system known as “Great Firewall
of China” to block certain websites from being accessed on domestic Internet
connections. Online conversations of Chinese people are also closely monitored by its
government to prevent any potential ideology which might crack down Chinese
authoritarianism (MacKinnon, 2011). These are all very sensitive issues to many people
and we should be considerate and modest when touching on these issues.

Let’s move on to the reason users are being monitored. I believe there are a lot of
reasons why governments and private companies are doing these surveillances
activities. … Reason for government to monitor the Internet is mainly for national
security which is to protect its citizen safety from terrorist threats and also maybe to
uncover international spies from other nations who might try to infiltrate and bring
down the country (Arthur, 2013). Another reason for government to conduct online
surveillance would probably be to observe the response of public (its citizen) towards
certain policies which are implemented recently (COLLINS, 2015).

Reason for private companies to do so are mainly because current user data are the
modern black gold which are very precious for AI development where data of human
behaviour is collected and analysed for its implementation in AI products (Doffman,
2019).

There are several simple ways to prevent the online surveillances as stated below and it
is easily achievable (Paul, 2017):
i. Use messaging apps such as Signals and iMessage to send encrypted message
to others
ii. Always cover up the webcam of our desktop and laptop
 iii. Switching search engine from Google to DuckDuckGo which does not track
users
iv. Switching browser to a Tor browser which uses encryption and prevent
surveillance by third party.
v. Set up virtual private network (VPN) when surfing the net

Reference:
Arthur, C. (2013). NSA scandal: what data is being monitored and how does it work?
Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/07/nsa-prism-
records-surveillance-questions
COLLINS, K. (2015). Government pays companies to monitor you on social media.
Social Network. Retrieved from https://www.wired.co.uk/article/government-
pays-companies-to-monitor-social-media-use
Doffman, Z. (2019). Your Social Media Is (Probably) Being Watched Right Now, Says
New Surveillance Report. Cybersecurity. Retrieved from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2019/11/06/new-government-spy-
report-your-social-media-is-probably-being-watched-right-now/?
sh=7789d44b4f99
MacKinnon, R. (2011). Liberation Technology: China's" Networked Authoritarianism".
Journal of Democracy, 22(2), 32-46.
Marthews, A., & Tucker, C. E. (2017). Government surveillance and internet search
behavior. Available at SSRN 2412564.
Paul, K. (2017). 5 ways to keep the government from spying on you. Personal FInance.
Retrieved from https://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-ways-to-keep-the-
government-from-spying-on-you-2017-03-09