In recent years we have experienced the unprecedented increasing use of mobile communications. The use of mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones has lead to the development of software applications, the so called “apps”. The growing use of apps –offered with little cost or even free— for virtually every aspect of user’s life from managing the personal bank account to seeking out information, diagnosis, or even immediate treatment to health problems might have serious implications for the protection of personal data and privacy of their users. The inherent characteristic of mobile devices as personal devices has turned them to “a spy in our pocket” (Green, N., & Sean, S. 2003) The pervasiveness of applications software has the potential to reveal enormous amount of personal information since a single data item can, in real time, be transmitted from the mobile device to be processed or be copied between chains of third-parties such as advertising disclosing significant amounts of personal data. A number of issues surrounding the ongoing regulatory and research developments on apps need to be examined under the light of EU data protection law, such as the role and responsibilities of the different actors involved, the privacy problems arising from the emergence of apps in mobile smart devices and the legal framework applicable to the processing of personal data in the development, distribution and usage of apps on smart devices. BACKGROUND Mobile technology has come a long way in the last quarter of the century. In the 1980s, mobile phones could only be used for phone calls. Since then, the development of new electronic communications services led to the widespread use of mobile phones. According to a recent survey in... ... middle of paper ... ...last decade. Technology has changed and user behavior has changed too. People use the Internet through smartphones and tablets in order to “post and search for personal, often intimate, information online; communicate with friends and colleagues on social networks” (Tene, O. 2011) Smartphones and tablets have substituted pc, traditional telephones, photographic and video cameras enabling the storage of large quantities of personal information such as photographs, videos, contact information, music e.t.c. Some types of data such as “text messages , numbers and the unique identifiers are stored automatically” enabling the access and process of enormous amount of personal information such as “circles of contacts, health-related or other personal research queries, and a wide variety of intellectual and political interests, of information” (Urban, J., M. Et al., 2012).
The personal connection Americans have with their phones, tablets, and computers; and the rising popularity of online shopping and social websites due to the massive influence the social media has on Americans, it is clear why this generation is called the Information Age, also known as Digital Age. With the Internet being a huge part of our lives, more and more personal data is being made available, because of our ever-increasing dependence and use of the Internet on our phones, tablets, and computers. Some corporations such as Google, Amazon, and Facebook; governments, and other third parties have been tracking our internet use and acquiring data in order to provide personalized services and advertisements for consumers. Many American such as Nicholas Carr who wrote the article “Tracking Is an Assault on Liberty, With Real Dangers,” Anil Dagar who wrote the article “Internet, Economy and Privacy,” and Grace Nasri who wrote the article “Why Consumers are Increasingly Willing to Trade Data for Personalization,” believe that the continuing loss of personal privacy may lead us as a society to devalue the concept of privacy and see privacy as outdated and unimportant. Privacy is dead and corporations, governments, and third parties murdered it for their personal gain not for the interest of the public as they claim. There are more disadvantages than advantages on letting corporations, governments, and third parties track and acquire data to personalized services and advertisements for us.
Computers, tablets, cellphones and all modern tenchnology has decrease our expectations of privacy in this digital age. People don't care anyone for their privacy, they only want the benefits that modern technology has brought to them. In the essay, “Privacy is Overrated” by David Plotz (2003), argues that it is sometimes good to be open and not be bother by privacy. In Jack Shafer's (2010) essay, “The Invasion of the Cookie Monster” he argues that we are the ones to be blame for the lost of our online privacy. The didgital age has created an extremely big problem of privacy for people.
In the article entitled, “Our Cell Phones Ourselves”, Christine Rosen describes how cell phones have changed the way we communicate. Rosen tells the readers the main purpose for cell phone use in the past, versus present day. Her purpose is to make society aware of how cell phones have influenced our lives in order to inspire change as to how we view our cell phones. Rosen directs her writing to everyone in the present day by describing the negative results of cell phone use and how it impacts our lives and those around us. Without a doubt, cell phones are going to be a part of our world, but it is the responsibility of every cell phone owner to exercise self control and understand that a cell phone is nothing more than a device.
LeRoux, Yves. "Privacy concerns in the digital world." 03 Oct 2013. Computer Weekly. 24 April 2014 .
Telecommunications gained mainstream attention in the early 90’s; however the initial key market was business men and women, who used their phones whilst being on the move and so allowing them to communicate with their companies with ease. Though in the modern era, telecommunication went through segmentation in the market trends, and now in this day and age it would be difficult to find someone who does not own some form of mobile technology. Many phone providers battle to provide the best service for their customers (Figure 1).
Are the benefits of electronic communication at the expense of our privacy? How does the Internet affect the availability and use of our personal information? The Internet brings another dimension to the issue of privacy. Whether you are voting on-line or buying a book from Amazon.com you must consider how much personal information has been collected about you, with or without your consent, and how it can be used. Policies governing privacy on the Internet are still not clearly defined and many on-line users do not understand how the information they provide will be used. How much...
The issue on privacy is extremely controversial in today’s world. As the United States’ use of the internet, a global web of interconnected computer networks, expands, so does its problem with privacy invasion. With the U.S. pushing for new laws governing internet use, citizens are finding their privacy being pulled right from underneath them. Web users are buying and selling personal information online as well as hacking users for more information. One may argue that there is no such thing as privacy on the internet, but privacy is a right among Americans, and should be treated as such.
The International Telecommunications Union estimates there are 6.8 billion mobile subscriptions worldwide (mobiThinking). The growth of mobile computing in both the workforce and for personal use has also caused a growth in the malware and mobile botnets available to mobile devices (Symantec). To be able to properly protect the mobile device and environment, security teams should be looking at building in and not just bolting on security mechanisms. It is a fairly common saying now among security professionals that it is not if you will be hacked or breached it is a matter of when. However, by using common sense and choosing methods that offer a better defense in depth strategy, users and security organizations can minimize or greatly reduce the likelihood of sensitive data loss. One way to build in security is to work from the source of where it might originate from, in this case the application delivering the potential malicious content. While this paper is not going to focus on the ins and outs of application security the goal is to determine if the delivery mechanism for those applications is secure by comparing and contrasting the security of the two largest distributors of mobile applications, the Apple App Store/iTunes Store and Google Play.
In this new era of the Internet, most people use the Internet to acquire information of one kind or other. But what these people are not aware of is that the Internet is collecting information about them. Every time we get onto the Internet there might be a compromise of privacy of our personal information. The information flows both ways. With every clock of the mouse on a hyperlink, or an addition to the mailing list, someone out there might be gathering information about us. This raises the seriousness of privacy of our information on the Internet.
As technology penetrates society through Internet sites, smartphones, social networks, and other modes of technology, questions are raised as the whether lines are being crossed. People spend a vast majority of their time spreading information about themselves and others through these various types of technology. The problem with all these variations is that there is no effective way of knowing what information is being collected and how it is used. The users of this revolutionary technology cannot control the fate of this information, but can only control their choice of releasing information into the cyber world. There is no denying that as technology becomes more and more integrated into one’s life, so does the sacrificing of that person’s privacy into the cyber world. The question being raised is today’s technology depleting the level of privacy that each member of society have? In today’s society technology has reduced our privacy due to the amount of personal information released on social networks, smartphones, and street view mapping by Google. All three of these aspects include societies tendency to provide other technology users with information about daily occurrences. The information that will be provided in this paper deals with assessing how technology impacts our privacy.
The New Media Age has brought about a wealth of technological innovations from the smartphone to online social media platforms. These creations have changed the way many people conduct their daily lives, but it has also changed the way the world faces privacy. New technologies make the spread of information astonishingly easy. As information is more readily available to a vast online audience, there is growing concern for the protection of people’s private information. Yet these technologies offer a number of limitations ranging from ownership of information to the ability to circumnavigate privacy systems that diminish privacy to a mere concept left to be desired, in turn altering the perception of the devices spawning the issue.
Cell phones have changed from an item of luxury to an everyday necessity for some people. Twenty five years ago, a phone was just a way to contact someone. Mobile phones have become one of the most common tools of communications for both young and old. Cellular devices have redefined relationships and social conduct, and transformed the daily lives of many individuals. Cell phones no longer function just as a communication device. Today it has many other uses. Cell phones are used for games, calculators, texting, calendars, social sites, and pictures. In addition, there are many apps that one can download on a phone. Mobile phones help us keep track of our lives.
When phones became available to the public they were not considered to be mobile in today’s sense of the word. They were available to have installed in an automobile, they were big and bulky, and they needed and consumed a lot of power to use. The phone networks would only support a few simultaneous conversations. Cell phones since then have made vast improvements in their efficiency, abilities, and size. The first handheld mobile phone wasn’t produce until 1973. The origin...
Despite the short amount of time since the introduction of the smartphone, the rapid development of the software and technology has had a tremendous effect on the everyday life in society today. The concept of communicating through a telephone was developed in the 1870s. Devices to transmit speech electrically were designed by Elisha Gray and Alexander Graham Bell, but Bell's design was patented first. On March 10, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell achieved one of his greatest successes in the making of the telephone. This brought upon a major change in communication and gave leeway to the improvement of the telephone in the days to come (Bellis, 2013b). During the 20th century there were many innovations regarding the telephone. In 1973, the first call from a portable phone was made Martin Cooper, who was a Motorola researcher and executive at the time. Since its inception, the advancement of cell phones has been exponential (Bellis, 2013a). As a result, cell phones have changed how society works in today's world. Many people lack the insight of how cell phones, or in this case, smart phones, affect the people that use them. So the question is, how is the evolution of smart phones impacting our society?
Since the invention of the cell phones, in 1973, it has quickly become the most popular device used especially today during the twenty-first century. Due to its hands-free-easy-to-use design, the amount of people that own a cell phone is rapidly increasing. The useful text messaging feature has proved to be extremely useful in current times. Along with these helpful features, the cell phone is easily accessible and more portable. The majority of phone companies offer a 3G or 4G data plan, meaning internet access can be found on your phone almost anywhere, at any time. In addition to its easy portability, the cell phone is a very useful and helpful device, allowing one to stay connected to the outer world. “With a smartphone, you can connect to the Web from virtually anywhere. You ...