People today freely use The Internet Essay Example for Free

throng today freely use The Internet EssayPeople today freely use The Internet, E-mail, and Online pass along to communicate with opposite people. Its a great dash to talk to loved ones who live utter virtually away, conduct business, and just shoot fun with friends, nevertheless there is a downside. People who we dont k this fast can obtain schooling about us by tracking e-mails and messages and unless these things be encrypted, everything we sp be can be pulled up and used against us. That is why people who use the Internet request to be much more aware(predicate) of their online privacy and security. The Internet started in 1969 by the U. S. overnment. They wanted a conference system that couldnt be destroyed in the event of an emergency. It consisted of four computers linked together called DARPANET. In the 1970s people found that they could use this system to send messages between the computers to get to other people. to a greater extent and more people starte d using this system and by the end of the 70s, it was international. The earliest found caller to use instant messaging was Mirabilis in November of 1996. Instant messaging is manage a peal conversation done between two people on the computer in real time. everyday companies that have instant messaging are AOL, chawbacon, and NET Messenger Service. E-mail or Electronic billet is a way of composing, sending, and receiving messages over the computer. E-mail started in 1965, which means it actually began before the Internet and in fact helped start the Internet. First e-mail was used for multiple users to communicate through a central processor computer. Now even though the brass does not have control over the Internet in pre direct day, they can distillery monitor what individuals are writing e supernumeraryly after September 11th. The Sept. 1 terrorists relied heavily on the Internet, and the hijackers appear to have plotted their carnage using yahoo e-mail. The FBI believ es they can now catch suspected terrorists by face at suspicious email, merely what constitutes suspicious? They have actual a program called Carnivore that lifes through e-mail to find suspicious information. But, critics of this are not so certain of its benefits because it can be used to look for keywords such as hijack in hoi polloi amounts of e-mails, and whenever it finds an e-mail or message that has that word the FBI is entitled to fill that message.If someone is just asking some other(prenominal) person through e-mail about the current terrorist situation will that set off an dismay with the FBI and now that persons e-mails will be tracked? Very possibly. The PATRIOT (Provide Appropriate Tools need to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism) Act provides investigators with more flexibility to pursue interception of e-mail messages, and monitoring of Web surfing and other PC-based communications.But does the general public believe that that government should have the rig ht to look into hush-hush e-mails if they could catch a terrorist by doing it? According to a survey of PCWorld. m, a total of 60 percentage said they had serious concerns about giving the government more access to personal e-mail bandage 38 percent said they had little or no concern. While the government and FBI see that this is a concludedly legitimate way to weed out the terrorists in America, many others find it a complete invasion of privacy.This isnt only a government vs. he people issue. As of 2004, 1 in 5 companies has had employees electronic messages subpoenaed in the course of a lawsuit or regulatory investigation and another 13 percent of 840 companies surveyed this year have battled workplace lawsuits triggered by employee e-mail. This means that private emails existence sent while at work can be retrieved and used against a person in a court of law. The right to privacy is completely being revoked in these situations. That is why Americans need to be more aware of how to protect their privacy and there are ways to do this.First is by looking at the actual disclaimers that most people just sign without actually reading. American Online or AOL and Yahoo are two major providers of both e-mail and instant messaging. Looking into what their privacy policies are, you find this. Your stupefy information consists of personally identifiable information collected or received about you when you register. Your take aim information may be shared within AOL and its business divisions. Your AIM information, including the contents of your online communications, may be accessed and reveal in response to legal process (for example, a court order, search warrant or subpoena), or in other circumstances in which AOL has a good faith belief that AIM or AOL are being used for unlawful purposes.AOL may also access or disclose your AIM information when necessary to protect the rights or property of AIM or AOL, or in special cases such as a threat to your safet y or that of others. (http//www. aol. com/info/p_privacy. adp. ) Yahoos disclaimer is similar saying that Yahoo collects personally identifiable information when you register for a Yahoo account, and we jolly believe it is necessary to share information in order to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding contraband activities.Basically both are stating that, for the most part, our privacies are protected unless there is a need to look at the e-mails or messages being sent. That is a big but though. People should read that and decipher that the government or business we work at could basically pay back up a story as to why they need to read an email and both of these e-mail companies would have to comply. That really isnt protect us. At least we should know ahead of time though that these are the company policies so it shouldnt come as a surprise if our privacy was breached.This brings us to the concept of encryption. Chances are that nobody is ceremonial occasion the data you send out, but unless the information is over a secure (encrypted) connection, you cant be middling sure that its safe. The definition of encryption is the process of encoding information in such a way that only the person (or computer) with the key can decode it. on that point are different encryption systems, but essentially two computers have secret codes that hold the key to decoding the messages sent between them.So if a message is encrypted, only your friends computer will be able to read what you sent to them. Does this type of security interest the common person? It definitely should and is quite easy to obtain. There are messenger services that provide e-mail and instant messaging. One is called Hushmail, which includes encryption enhancements. All you have to do is sign up for it just like you would Yahoo or AOL and the only downside is that storage spot is limited. But the option is out there for people to choose safety over unnecessary storage.Yahoo nd AOL are th e trusted and most used e-mail and instant message companies so most people just subscribe to these two, but really need to research what else is out there in regards to encrypted messaging companies like Hushmail. Customers of AOL though can upgrade to AIM 5. 2, which uses encrypted messages. Yahoo on the other cut into only has a form of encryption. The system sends the message unprotected to Yahoos server. The recipient is conceden a uniform resource locator to view the document on an SSL-protected web page. Consumers feel this is a weak link because the message is still being sent without it being secure, but it is a step forward.There are other fair general steps that a consumer should do or at least think about before signing onto an e-mailing system. One is to always know the software that you are downloading onto your computer. Many programs appear to be legitimate, but they really just want to get your information and use it for bad reasons that veer into your personal privacy. Also, if a person shares a computer with many people, like a college library system, that person needs to make sure they clear their passwords and personal information before leaving their seat.And basically people just need to be more suspicious. Even though thats a bad outlook, if youre messages are not encrypted, then you need to be more aware of what youre writing. If you think it could be construed in a negative way, then you shouldnt send it over an unprotected system that could one-day work against you. In conclusion, although companies and other entities operating in the online or electronic commerce environment have a responsibility to turn back the privacy of personally identifiable information online, the Online Privacy Alliance believes that consumers also have a manipulation to play.Consumers should look for privacy policies on the web sites they visit as well as be aware of the various self-enforcement mechanisms currently available. After the tragedy of Se ptember 11th, the government does need to do certain things in order to further protect our country against another attack, but this shouldnt mean attacking Americans privacy and security. Americans shouldnt have to live in constant fear of Big sidekick looking into our personal letters and messages to loved ones and friends, and also shouldnt be afraid that some things being said are going to be taken the wrong way.That is the opposite of making us feel more secure and safe because that basically means were being attacked from within our own government. saying that, there are many things that we, as consumers, are responsible for knowing what is out there to give us more security. There is encryption and the big companies out there that provide e-mail and instant messaging are getting on board and providing encrypted programs for us to use.We should also be responsible adequate to actually read all disclaimers that we usually dont bother to read so that we are not shocked when w e learn that the government just looked at our private message to someone. Its securely as one person to fight something like Carnivore, but we can do simple things like read disclaimers, be smart about what e-mail programs we subscribe to and be safe and responsible when we are on the Internet.