The individual and personal privacy can be traced back in 1980 when one of the Supreme Court judges by the name Louis Brandeis brought about the right to privacy. However, during the early days, privacy issues were mainly concerned with physical interference and trespassing, especially through the use of force. Currently, the concept of privacy has significantly changed in the digital world, particularly due to the invention of Web 2.0 or the internet. The internet has made privacy to become a complex issue that goes beyond physical boundaries. At the same time, the internet has made privacy laws, regulations, and policies infective and inadequate in protecting people and organizations. Existing privacy laws have failed to adapt to changes that are associated with the emergence of the internet. The internet has changed the concept of privacy, and people are increasingly becoming less concerned about their privacy (Brumis, 2016).
Web 2.0 has significantly influenced the definition and expectation of privacy. The perception of privacy is totally different than it was 50 years ago. Initially, the right for privacy was protected by laws such as Privacy Act of 1974, Bill of Rights, and the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) were designed to protect personal and organizational information (Brumis, 2016). People were expecting the government to protect their properties and personal information from unauthorized persons.
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However, both privacy laws and privacy torts are currently inadequate in handling privacy issues. As a result, the definition of privacy has changed in the digital era that is characterized by intense use of the internet. The definition of privacy is no longer associated with secrecy as in the case before. Currently, protecting privacy is about coming up with rules that make it mandatory for the government as well as private entities to enhance their privacy on how they use personal information that are available to them (Brumis, 2016). Government and businesses now collect a lot of personal information and data from citizens due to the emergence of information communication technologies and the internet. People now lack control of their personal information because they are readily available in the internet. Consequently, it is now hard to build a protective wall around personal data. Privacy is no longer associated with secrecy, but the ability of the government and businesses to be responsible and accountable to crucial personal information.
At the same time, the internet has substantially changed people’s expectations about privacy. Traditionally, privacy was liked to statements such as “I know no one is looking”. But now people think the opposite as they know that their online activities and personal information are no longer private. Privacy is increasingly becoming a luxury to many people, especially those who do not have enough resources to protect their private information (Weeks, 2012). Information, behaviors, and actions that were initially considered to be private no longer attract privacy concerns like before the invention of the internet. For instance, many people are no longer bothered with the privacy of their emails, and they now treat it as private face-to-face conversation. Besides, people do not care about internet security threats. This is because they know that their privacy is not protected in the digital age. Hence, the internet has changed the definition and expectations of people about privacy issues, as no personal information is private in the digital era.
Therefore, it is possible to conclude that privacy is dead. People are now living in the world where through the internet, one can access the information he or she wants without even seeking authorization. People are no longer concerned about their privacy, as shown in the article by Bob Sullivan about why people should care about digital privacy. People were did not pay much attention even after Sullivan hacked their Facebook accounts and sent warning messages (Sullivan, 2011). The internet has made people to believe that their personal privacy is not guaranteed in the digital age. At the same time, government and businesses are slowly giving up on the privacy issue. Government, business, and individuals have become vulnerable to the internet, forcing them to forgo their privacy (Weeks, 2012). As a result, privacy is dead, even though it is still being discussed in various forums.
Nevertheless, there are a number of reasons why privacy is still important despite the fact that it is fading away. Importantly, privacy helps in limiting the power government and businesses have over common citizens. Access to personal data can be used to damage reputations and make decisions to influence people. At the same time, the increasing rate of cyber crimes and attacks makes privacy important. Cyber-criminals can use personal information to create social and economic harm. Therefore, privacy is still important and should be protected if possible (Brumis, 2016).
In conclusion, the internet has brought a lot of changes in the society. It has changed how people perceive privacy and has made the world to become more vulnerable to security threats. People now feel that there is no need to be worried about privacy because it is not possible to achieve in the current digital world. A number of people now argue that privacy is dead, even though it is still important. There is need to come up with ways or technologies that can be used to restore privacy.
References
Brumis, A. M. (2016). The Right to Privacy in a Digital Age: Reinterpreting the Concept of Personal Privacy. Inquiries Journal , 8 (9).
Sullivan, B. (2011, October 3). Why should I care about digital privacy? NBCNEWS . Retrieved from http://www.nbcnews.com/id/41995926/ns/technology_and_science/t/why-should-i-care- about-digital-privacy/#.Wnljw39RXIW
Weeks, L. (2012). Google And Privacy: Is It Time To Give Up ? Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2012/02/29/147643243/google-wins-hes-giving-up-on-privacy
