Can unethical human activity really be the primary reason for the lack of privacy and safety on the internet? Many believe so. A person’s activity can increasingly affect another person’s experience while on the wide web, resulting in cyberbullying, leak of personal information, identity theft, and even threats to their physical safety. The purpose of this blog post is to argue why unethical human activity is a primary responsibility for the lack of privacy and safety on the internet for its consumers and how it can be avoided.

A major problem within the usage of the internet is the accompanying human interaction that can come with it, sometimes the interactions can be good, and a lot of the times it can be unpleasant. The term cyberbullying has been popular all around the world, from cases such as name calling to even the possibility of suicide, especially to the younger users of the internet. “Youth who experienced traditional bullying or cyberbullying, as either an offender or a victim, had more suicidal thoughts and were more likely to attempt suicide than those who had not experienced such forms of peer aggression” (S. Hinduja, J.W. Patchin 2010). Cyberbullying ties into the unethical area of safety within the internet, and has been defined as harming others repeatedly through the use of electronic devices. It can create an unsettling surrounding for the target and can increase problems outside of the online environment.

The safety the internet can create for a user is limited, and that being the same for privacy of a user. The reason why cyberbullying is such a used term is because it’s a common tragedy that happens to many. The ability to be unethical on the internet is an easy way to bully someone into the outcome the offender wishes, which forces the victim to feel unsafe within the provided environment that some wish to find in the internet. The safety of the user is incredibly important on the internet, but sometimes those barriers can easily be broken by those not morally correct. Which is why the persons privacy is of great significance.

The usage of privacy on the internet is a big factor towards the safety of its users. The ability to access someone else’s information within a few clicks of a mouse, or even a person’s information taken by companies for data purposes, is an incredible ability that is become more widely known in the environment the internet provides. A lot of the online population don’t know that their private information is being collected by multiple companies, and sometimes even outside sources that are looking for a non-moral approach to harassing the user.

“Global consistency on Internet privacy protection is important to boost the growth of electronic commerce. To protect consumers in a globally consistent manner.” (W. Chung, J. Paynter 2002). All over the world, an online user’s privacy can be accessed for malicious intent or even product placements. Anyone who knows their way around computers and even code can gather the private information provided through apps and social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. This is known as doxing, and can happen to anyone, usually produced by people with arguably low moral intentions.

The privacy of users on the internet is progressively getting worse thanks to the unethical intentions of people and companies, using such things as doxing and information collection. It’s reasonable to feel unsafe with people with these intentions on the wide web, and there’s only so much a victim can do in attempt to stop this kind of harassment or leakage of private information.

Within the online community, there are many toxic and unethical people around. So being careful on what you click or who you talk to is a major factor while using the internet. There is a lot to unpack when it comes to being careful and private online without not being yourself, from the users own personal code of conduct, social awareness and using the privacy many programs and companies can provide.

“Perceptions of privacy are socially constructed through communication and transactions with social entities over a networked environment, a process that involves a certain level of technical skill and literacy.” (T. Dinev, P. Hart 2014). As stated, many problems within the online community is that privacy within the internet are socially placed through communication, so being socially aware can be sometimes difficult for a newer user on the wide web. They may not know how to conduct themselves in a proper manner towards other users who have experience online. They could come off as racist from not thinking of what they say, or could offend someone by a few words typed. Many tend to know how to avoid these situations while in a community of like-minded people, from having their own personal code of conduct, keeping their information private and not clicking suspicious links. Going back to the privacy of the user, if the user is not careful, they can have their personal information easily taken and placed online for many to see.

Within this blog, the topics of cyberbullying, user’s privacy and how to potentially avoid being a target was discussed with research to back up the points. Unethical humans are the primary reason for the lack of privacy and safety in an online environment. Online bullying to physical threats, leaks of personal information happening to anyone, and how having a code of conduct for personal online use can really help avoid unethical situations were all a major topic discussed throughout.

Reflection

Sameer, H, & Justin W. P. (2010). Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Suicide. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13811118.2010.494133?casa_token=8huUWf4M6NUAAAAA%3Au1viUsvp-zuInYPEHihhmHN25HpUjaFH9g4Rzv69_xNd3dN4a1hsxwiCCXRWFmFMmb0isIUyCTsdGQ

Chung, & J. Paynter (2002). Privacy issues on the internet. Retrieved from https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/994191?casa_token=Mr2XtSzySjEAAAAA:euHSVw_eSqZxDbqosCiRWwhNK7jP2hsJrGwYvam26ASFJLmVszt0N7HwPMMJ6V8WTcSZ4pGyKDfrEQ

Tamara, D, & Paul, H (2014) Internet Privacy Concerns and Social Awareness as Determinants of Intention to Transact. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2753/JEC1086-4415100201?casa_token=B4iP3UpBOSgAAAAA:jrsa3tsAinBEJNC-t5UjqxJ8lTNITxR33oEfWEwVuYgIy8uhFZEE12NOFLdxRFXiKBMdg6KGPVTOkWd8