- by Jose Estrada
Social networking sites, email accounts, and cell phones are a means to connect with friends, colleagues, family, partners etc. the constant interaction over the web and phone services offers quick communication between users of intimate and personal content. When we communicate with others we often think that it is private. When talking on our cells and standing in a crowed hall we tend to cover our phones in an effort to restrict others from hearing. When sitting in the library we often use privacy screens to keep out prying eyes. And when transferring sensitive information through social media sites and emails we tend to delete them hoping to rid any trace of it. The fact is that we make efforts to maintain our privacy from unwarranted gazes. However, in 2010 the NSA has been collecting and analyzing data from peoples internet profiles, emails, and phone records in an effort to screen any tie to foreign intelligence targets. A New York Times article discusses the action of data collecting by the NSA as a means to protect national security. While I understand that any and all efforts should be done to combat against national threats, I find it to be frightening that much of what we think is being privately communicated to others really isn’t. What’s more is that the data collected on some individuals is used to determine that party’s circle of contacts. This means even if you are not one of those internet and texting junkies, your information can still be collected because of your one time response to so and so’s post on Facebook.
While the warrantless acquisition of data by the government seems to spark much controversy, it is important to know that private businesses do so as well, yet this doesn’t cause much of an uproar as did the Snowden incident. Rather than combating foreign threats, private businesses use collected data to better market products and services to individuals. Facebook for example uses a series of algorithms to track your posts, likes, pages visited, and more and then formulates a series of ads that are tailored to your interests. While seemingly harmless, this demonstrates the willingness of the citizenry to offer information to big business to deepen the role of consumerism and increase the bottom line for a select few.
I find it interesting that when a situation like the NSA’s acquisition of information happens people tend to want to invoke their privacy rights against governmental intrusion, yet (generally speaking) seem to be more comfortable with the idea of business doing the exact same thing.
Article cited: N.S.A. Gathers Data on Social Connections of U.S. Citizens
Speaking from a French point of view, this situation is particularly frightening to the extent that the NSA can collect, monitor and stock data of non-American citizens. There is no border and I think that Professor Musheno is a little bit too optimistic when he argues that there are more strict rules on the other side. European corporations and Governments made deals with the NSA to let it access telecommunication datas which are under their control. The Atlantic Ocean is anything but an efficient protection.
ReplyDeleteAt least, in Europe, there is a rising claim for "the right to be forgotten". In may 2013, the European Parliament passed a bill which promotes this right and which increases the penalties against private corporations which fail to protect their customers' personal datas. But will it be really applied to worldwide corporations based in other countries and to foreign secret service agencies ?
Romain MILLARD
This is an interesting post Jose. It is quite disturbing to think that all our private communications can be recorded and examined by NSA. I think this point also sheds light on Gilliom and Monohan’s argument on ‘Fear and Desire’ in a Surveillance society, that through participating in these forms of social media we are in a sense supporting a surveillance society. Social media facilitates a sense of integration for many. These forms of technological advancements can be seen as fundamental and inevitable components of our dynamic advancing society.
ReplyDeleteMadeleine McGlade
I don’t understand the fear of Big Corporation by those who don’t necessarily fear Big Government. While it might annoy me to see an ad on my computer for a product I recently Googled, no matter what personal information the corporations may collect about me, the worst it gets is annoying. Corporations simply want to make money by selling me a product. Government, on the other hand, has the power to control my life. Government can (and does) pass laws that restrict my freedom. Government even has power to completely take away my freedom. So, major uproar from me when Government spies on me; minor annoyance from me when Corporation spies on me. Corporations can’t put me in jail, but Government can.
ReplyDeleteJESSE RYCKMAN
Tiarra Pittman
ReplyDeleteVery interesting point! I couldn't agree more with your last statement. You said that people don't really express that they are threatened by businesses gathering their personal information, but when the government does it it's like world war 3 and everyone cries about their privacy rights. To extend this point, I think it's absolutely ridiculous that people have a problem with the government using their personal information and consider it intrusion. We voluntarily give up ATLEAST half of the information that the government has about us. People don't realize that subjecting themselves to things like social media pages, credit cards, and even security fingering printing for iPhone is just giving the government more information to use against us. If people don't want their privacy intruded on, they shouldn't put their private life and information into and onto public forums and platforms.
I would argue that at least part of this dichotomy between the shock the public feels at government collecting information and the complacency with which we allow it from private businesses comes from the fact that we (generally) get something back from the businesses collecting the majority of our data. Google's entire business model (96% of revenue) revolves around collecting information to use on its tailored advertisements - without this none of Google's products would be viable, and at the very least would no longer be free. Amazon gives discounts and recommendations, and the fact is Target does make it easier to shop there by organizing their stores based on the information they collect. We give these companies our information largely on a voluntary basis, or at least make little effort to make sure they don't have it. There are rules and regulations in place to control what corporations can do with our data, and additionally there are things we can do to defend against harassment we could receive from third parties who obtain our information.
ReplyDeleteWhen the government obtains our information, it does it without any consent from us. We get nothing in return, and we are put in danger. If the government finds something that they deem interesting, they investigate further, and if they find something worth hassling you about, they can do virtually anything they want: seize bank accounts, incarcerate you or your associates, close your business, or any number of other things. This is where the fear comes from. The data going to the government isn't used to help us, at least not on an individual basis, and it has the potentially to seriously disrupt our lives.
Atli Thorkelsson
As it was mentioned in the post - it is important to draw public attention not only to the instances of data collection executed by the state agencies, but also to the matter of data collection in the realm of services provided by the private companies. The data collection as a part of these services should only be focused on improving our user experience and the regulatory authorities have to make sure that the data collection operates in the intended way.
ReplyDeleteAlexander Solodovnikov
I agree with your post Jose. Since taking this class, the realization that we as citizens are becoming mere data entries is frightening. Never once, did I think that my phones, Facebook, etc., were being possibly tapped and stored. More so, the question arises: Why? You interest in citizens concerns is also valid point. If we are to protect ourselves, we must not only attack big business but also the NSA for violation of privacy. Further, I believe that greater attention needs to be brought to light regarding such violations.
ReplyDeleteOverall, great post. Thanks for sharing.
-Sarah Hickman
I think what is most frightening is the idea that data collected on Facebook can prevent me from getting a job in the future. Gilliom and Monahan mention how Facebook evidence can be used against you. After reading this and listening to lecture, I logged onto my Facebook account and looked through several different comments, pictures, etc. to see if there was anything that could be used against me in the future. However, it is unrealistic for me to look through years of information and find everything that could be percieved negatively. In addition, all of this information has already been collected, so there I can't help but helplessly hope that the data will not harm me in the future. When I first made a Facebook account, I was "liking" several different things so that people could see what I "liked". I had no idea that I was being watched by those who were not my friends and part of my own network.
ReplyDelete-Dash Oliver
I agree, that people have a greater reaction to surveillance when they find out the government has access to their personal phone records, emails, and social networking sites. With the growth of technology and new ways to communicate such as texting, emailing, and social network sites, there becomes new ways for the government to monitor our actions. While if individuals fear the idea of surveillance by the government through the various media platforms, they have the option to opt out and not participate .But not using these avenues of communication in our global world, including email and texting becomes difficult, when it is the desired form of communication between our friends and co-workers.
ReplyDeleteI think our society needs to accept that with their freedom to participate in new forms of internet communication, they give up some rights to the government to monitor their security. After reading Gillom and Monahan's book, I only question that if I give these new rights to the government to monitor my internet security, they are using my information appropriately and not digging into my personal information when they should not be.
-Michaela Acebedo
I agree it's frightening that our private communication and lives are infiltrated and we have no power to change the course of things. A trade-off between private spheres and security is almost inevitable. Our fear of terrorist attack is greater than concerns of privacy, or so it seemed after the 9/11 twin tower bombings. People dont know what they want, they are cool when private companies such as facebook collect information because it's used to tailor users needs. However if government does it then big brother paranoia kicks in and anything you do can be used against you.
ReplyDeleteProfessor Musheno has emphasized in class that public law enforcement, especially cops, at always at the core of public attention, while people are constantly ignoring the intrusion from the private sector. I think although intrusions of privacy (although “privacy” is no longer the appropriate word to describe our situation in information ages) from both sectors are both creepy and the results could be horrible, a more serious thing that needs our reflection is the public-private partnership. Today, the private sector cooperates with the state in a contractual relationship, which means we have nowhere to hide. I think this should be what really concerns us.
ReplyDelete-Yu Fu
You bring up an incredible point about how whenever the government uses our data, we invoke our right to more privacy while companies and websites such as facebook do the same thing and we ignore it. This brings up the question about what do we really want from our "right of privacy"? It seems to me that we accept websites such as facebook taking our data because we are able to interact with it and sometimes find it helpful, while the government we rarely interact with and the few times it does interact with us reveals how much information they secretly have about us. Maybe we shouldn't trust the government, but we should be wary about how much information these public-private partnerships are collecting and using. It reminds me of how mobile apps such as instagram can be used to track anyone just through pictures and profile details.
ReplyDelete-Dylan Tong