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DAWN
Canada: DisAbled Women's Network Canada Privacy
& Security Online
Privacy Online The Internet is fast becoming the dominant medium for business and communication, but it still resembles something of a frontier, because there is little regulation. Most efforts have relied on the Internet industry to police itself. Although there has been some notable success with self-policing, continued abuses have increased calls for government intervention. Some aspects of the Internet could undoubtedly use some regulation, but this task is not as simple as it may seem. The very nature of the Internet -- a loose constellation of networks comprising millions of computers flung across the globe -- makes it difficult, if not impossible to regulate. At the same time, the absence of regulations means that everyone who uses this essentially public network can be a target for anyone who has the technical know-how and the will to invade their privacy. While the threat from hackers (Hacker is a slang term for a technically sophisticated computer user who enjoys exploring computer systems and programs, sometimes to the point of obsession) is low for individuals, a more serious threat to personal privacy comes from companies that operate websites. Many sites require you to register before you can use its services. Often you must provide personal information, such as your name, street address, and e-mail address. Then as you browse the site, data is collected as to which pages you visited, how long you remained on each page, the links you clicked, what terms you searched, and so on. After a number of visits to the site, a personal profile emerges. The question is, what do site operators do with this information? Most claim that they use it to personalize your experience on the site. For instance, if a gardening site learns that you are interested in heirloom vegetables, the next time you visit the site, you might be presented with an article or advertisements for rare tomatoes. But some websites sell this information to marketers, which means that you may find yourself receiving unwanted catalogs from garden suppliers. Junk mail is more of an annoyance than a serious problem. But what if you read articles about cancer on a health site. Would you want this information revealed to insurance companies? Most people consider that an invasion of privacy. Many sites now post their privacy policies online. Before you reveal any personal information, read the policy to make sure you agree with it. Some sites specifically seek your permission to share your personal data with third parties or to receive e-mail announcements. This is known as "opting in". To avoid this, opt out by checking the "No" box. For more information about consumer privacy, visit TRUSTe at http://www.truste.org/
If you don't want your web surfing behaviour to be tracked without your consent, configure your web browser to reject cookies. A cookie is a small file that is created and installed on your computer's hard drive by a website that wants to collect information about your interaction with the site. As you browse through the site, information is stored in the cookie. The next time you return to the site, that data is transmitted to the site. Only the site that created the cookie can read it, and it does not have access to the other files on your computer. Cookies can be useful for things like storing a password so you don't have to enter it each time you access the site. But cookies are invasive because they are normally set without your consent. To control cookies when using Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or 6.0, under the Tools menu, select Internet Options. Now click the Security tab and then click the Custom Level button. Scroll down the list until you see the cookie choices and make the appropriate selection by clicking the boxes. With Netscape Navigator 5.0, under the Edit menu, click on Preferences , then click on Advanced. You can now choose whether to accept or reject all cookies, or to be warned before a cookie is placed on your computer.
Protect the privacy of your electronic communications by using encryption, a form of cryptography. Encryption requires special software to encode your e-mail or any other files you want to send securely over the Internet. The person receiving these files must use the same software to decode them. An excellent reference is the World Wide Web Virtual Library's Cryptography article, which includes an extensive list of related resources. It is available at the following URL: http://world.std.com/~franl/crypto.html If you are interested in efforts to regulate the Internet, visit the Electronic Frontier Foundation website at http://www.eff.org/
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