Digital Awareness: Privacy and Security in Our Digital Lives

Considering how quickly the Internet has changed many of our institutions and industries it is apparent there is a need to also examine the impact the Internet has on our privacy and security as users of this technology. The Internet provides a powerful means to learn, communicate, collaborate and conduct global commerce. Although “sharing is caring” is a phrase heard on many websites and blogs, the data we produce or the information we share is the issue at hand that needs to be protected. As more of our activity moves online, we should continue the dialogue of awareness to the issues that surround our privacy and security on the Internet.

In the United States companies that operate social networking services or those that create programs used on the Internet benefit from the data or information we produce online. As users of these “free” services, our data has become their commodity. As our digital lives crosses over into our real lives, we should continue examining the benefits and costs.

If we begin implementing ways to take control over our data, we may realize that we do have choices that we can put into action. Making the distinction between privacy and security is one of the issues this module is presenting. Empowering one another can only be beneficial for all Internet users for the next seven generations.