Privacy & Confidentiality

New media has changed the way we society functions and operates. It has bridged the gap in communication across borders and has brought new meaning to relationships and friendships. But despite all of the benefits new media has brought to society, it has come at the price of individuals’ personal privacy. For instance, by logging onto Facebook, I can browse random people’s pictures, contact lists, and see personal information such as hometown, birthday, and beliefs. Not only that, but other programs have allowed you to track your friends as well, allowing you to see where they currently are, who they are with, and even what they are thinking (status update/tweet).

By blindly embracing every facet of new media, people often forget about the loss of privacy that they are subjected too. Once anything is online, it is there forever and almost anyone can have access to it. Children and adults alike must start taking precautions with the things the post on the internet and must become familiar with privacy controls. They should read all of the policies and restrictions before using a site, rather than just clicking “I accept.” All too often, individuals often make their private information public and are unaware of who is collecting their information or browsing their profiles. 

With the constantly innovations and advancements in technology, more should be done for protection.  Although new programs and the internet have made it possible to share almost anything on the internet, it does not mean that it should be shared. Some things were meant to be confidential and not for public. For instance, there was much debate over the Wikileaks, which posted hundred of confidential documents related to U.S. ambassadors. Top-secret information that was only meant for certain people, could have put many lives in danger when it was released over the internet. As a society, we should use new media for its intended purposes and not take advantage of it by exploiting its many benefits.