Personal Privacy and Censorship

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Recommended: Privacy in our society

The topic of personal privacy and the possibility of censorship tends to be one of the “red buttons” of conversations. There have been movies, such as The Truman Show and Eagle Eye, that have presented extreme versions of government and large industry conspiracies, which have caused many to laugh off any idea of such occurrences in real life, and claim that those kinds of things only happen in movies. But many would be surprised to discover that many of the events in the fictional movies are actually occurring today. The government has no right to any information about a citizen unless that citizen specifically chooses to give the information, and it must only be used for the purpose specified by the individual because such a leak infringes upon personal safety and privacy and opens the door to long-term consequences.
Firstly, unsecured smartphones and personal computers are potential threats to the safety of both the citizen and his or her digital device. An individual’s personal safety can be easily at risk. As “Cybercriminals” reports:
Many active Facebook users take risks that can lead to burglaries, identity theft, and stalking. Fifteen percent had posted their current location or travel plans, 34 percent their full birth date, and 21 percent of those with children at home had posted those children's names and photos. Moreover, roughly one in five hadn't used Facebook's privacy controls, making them more vulnerable to threats (Cybercriminals).
Most people are not even aware of how much personal information they are sharing online, and with whom they are sharing it with. It is all too easy to forget who one has befriended on Facebook, and who he or she has not, as well as which friends can and cannot be truly trusted. This i...

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...pportunities, and be collected by the government for future uses that no one has consented to. However, with the adequate awareness and taking proper precautions, one can remain unscathed and under the radar of the government, large corporations, and cyber villains.

Works Cited
"Cybercriminals Use Personal Information on Social Networking Websites to Commit Crimes."
Cybercrime. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013.
Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Online Exposure: Social Networks, Mobile Phones, and Scams Can Threaten Your Security." Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 15 Aug. 2013.
Lee, Timothy B. "Smartphones Have Privacy Risks." Smartphones. Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit:
Greenhaven Press, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "My Smartphone, the Spy: Protecting Privacy in a Mobile Age." 2012. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 15 Aug. 2013.

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