Question #1
Perhaps it is because it has always been there, but the internet never seemed to be a major privacy concern for me. In fact, updating Facebook or sending out a picture through Instagram was an apparent agreement that those pictures or statuses were not private but were intended to be shared. I have heard what seems to be a million times that, once something is on the internet, it is out there forever and that I would later be judged by this information, but again, I figured that if I had voluntarily put that information out there, these were my risks to take. In other words, my privacy was not invaded, but I had voluntarily given up this information to be shared. However, after watching the videos and reading the article, I realize that it is not only the information that I am freely sharing that is being gathered.
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Recognizing that the corporations are able to profit off of the information that they gather from my personal use of the internet was alarming. I thought back to how many times I have clicked to checkmark the user agreements on countless websites, and I realize that I have freely given them this right but without actually realizing what I was agreeing to. The ability to request the companies to not track my usage never entered my mind, but not that I know that this is an option, I am even more concerned with the fact that there is no safeguard to monitor this request. Although it is impossible in today’s society to eliminate the use of the internet, I do feel that I will be much more cautious in my usage. In other words, I will no longer click without reading the terms of the websites.
Question # 2
The privacy bargain claims that the internet users sell their privacy for the ability to use the internet. As a consumer, I believe that purchasing my computer and smartphone, paying the internet provider each month, and paying the cellphone bill should be payment enough for this use. I do not feel that my privacy should be used as a bargaining tool to be able to use what I have paid for with money. This, in my opinion, is a tradeoff that suggests I should pay more or that my privacy is worth very little. I would have to disagree with the corporations on both of these suggestions. In fact, as the article claims, the information gathered from this invasion of privacy is very valuable to the companies and they are buying and selling this information at a great price as if it were their own personal property. All of this is being conducted without true intended consent. This is the most concerning aspect of the privacy bargain.
Again, as a regular consumer of the internet, I am fully aware that these processes are nearly unstoppable, but I would feel much more comfortable if the consent factor would be addressed. The article suggested that, if companies would specifically ask if the information could be used, then the users would be more likely to agree to this bargain and the concept of being taken advantage of would be taken out of the equation. I feel that, before any personal information should be tracked, used, or sold, the user should give full intended consent. This option should be made easily readable and understandable in order for the average user to not be taken advantage of. This privacy bargain helps companies to fine tune their advertising techniques. I fully understand that this is a necessary function of the internet. However, this function should be handled in a manner that all parties are fully aware of the process.
