What are the arguments in the online privacy debate?
Secure software systems mean it is now generally safe to make financial transactions online, whether buying books or selling shares, while encryption and other security software is available for those with particular privacy concerns [Ref: Wikipedia]. But the question of whether we should expect privacy is not merely a technical one. Those who argue that online privacy is unrealistic believe that the very nature of how we use the internet today makes old-fashioned privacy concerns irrelevant or even undesirable [Ref: Guardian]. Irrelevant because the internet is all about sharing, not concealing – and if we are really concerned about keeping something private, we shouldn’t put it online in the first place [Ref: WebTechLaw]. It is also considered undesirable because the benefits of privacy are outweighed by those of convenience [Ref: Visual Revenue] and security [Ref: CNET.com] if we trust internet companies and government agencies with our information. Privacy advocates counter that wh
