Privacy or Convenience?

Right now I am sitting at my desk, alone in my dorm room, typing this blog post. But in the back of my mind, I feel that I may not be alone. I am using the Lawrence wireless network, so there could be the chance that an administrator of Lawrence University is seeing what I am doing online.

More and more situations like these where privacy is compromised when using technology appear in today's society. Simson Garfinkel writes an intriguing article titled, "Privacy and the New Technology: What They Do Know Can Hurt You" addresses the issue of compromising privacy with new technology. Garfinkel states the reality that we as a society are trading our privacy for convenience. That "in order to enjoy the benefits of modern society, we must necessarily relinquish some degree of privacy" (324). Think about it. Technology makes everything more convenient for us. We are able to turn on our laptops and shop without even leaving our seat. We are able to pick up our cell phones, make a call or send a text, and communicate with someone without having to see them face-to-face. We are able to go online and listen to Taylor Swift's new album without having to go to the store and buy it ourselves. But at the same time, we are giving up part of our privacy. Just by going online, advertisers are able to see where we go and target their advertising in that way. Furthermore, joining social media sites allows us to put our personal information on the web for all to see. Or even by joining websites and creating passwords, this information stays in the database for people to discover. There is always a way for people, like hackers, to discover your information.

France 24, an international news channel, reported the issues of privacy with Google's mapping application in their article titled, "Watching Yourself... Google's Watching You." With Google street view, you are able to explore places around the world through 360-degree, panoramic, and street-level imagery. Now, these images are taken by Google's crew and civilians are often captured in these shots and many people are not okay with this invasion of privacy. For starters, it is unsettling to know that an image of you is available for anyone to see on the web. But more than that, this means that you could be caught doing something you would rather the public does not witness. Cheating on your significant other, for example, or sunbathing topless. Anything that exposes you against your own will. You can see how this is a big issue as addressed by Garfinkel.

We may made need to make an important decision if we want our privacy secured. That could involve no more putting our personal information on social media webpages, no more online shopping, or maybe even stop paying with credit cards since our personal information is being entered into a database with each swipe. But this world we live in has made everything so much more convenient for us. We just need to ask ourselves if it's worth the privacy risk.