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The Internet is simply one of the greatest tools ever known to man. It has literally changed the world we live in. It not only has the ability to put an abundance of information at our fingertips with astonishing speed, but connects people in ways we only once dreamt of. It has created a world that is highly digitized; societies which are always “plugged-in” or “turned-on” and cannot live without the affordances it provides.
But let’s be honest, it has come at a cost. It has cost the majority of us our privacy. Some have even gone so far as to put a price tag on that cost. So that begs the question,
Is there such a thing as privacy online?
A simple Google search will say no. There are loads of sites that debate this very topic online…quite the irony. In today’s world with all the technology there is ultimately no such thing as privacy in my mind. People can hack into phones, computers, any type of electronic device and spy on others through things such as bugs and keyloggers. Besides just hacking, calls can be tapped and tracked and computer history can be searched to find just about anything. Security cameras are in most places these days, often without people even being aware. It is very hard to have such a thing as total privacy anymore when really, anyone could be watching or looking into what you are doing very easily.
A video screencast I took of Norse-Corps real-time visibility into global cyber attacks clearly illustrates the growing nature of the world we now live in. A world where data breaches, data leaks and identity theft happen more frequently than reported. Scary stuff.
I think wiseGEEK summed up Digital Privacy nicely…
Though digital privacy is an issue that remains at the forefront of many private citizens’ thoughts as they attempt to navigate the Internet and embrace new technology, official and complete protection remains just out of reach. This is because the idea of privacy in a technological — and, thus, ever-evolving — landscape continues to change meaning. Before the issue can be addressed, there has to be a clear definition of what privacy means in the digital world.
Understandings: Responsible use of online tools can help protect the personal information of others.
Here at ICHK HLY our work to prepare students for a life involving digital technology continues. I have been working closely with classroom teachers to look at how best we can integrate today’s technology while at the same time helping students become inquiring, independent, healthy digital citizens.
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With the range of digital tools at our disposal today, we can share almost every part of our lives online. With this in mind, here are some of the questions we consider when discussing privacy with our students:
- Why do we share personal details with others?
- What are the risks of sharing too much information?
- How can we control our sharing using privacy settings on sites such as Facebook?
- What should we not share with members of the public?
- Geolocation information?
- Personal photos?
- Too much personal data
- Give the ability to turn private into public on the web, should we share anything?
- Can we trust our friends not to publicise our private shares?
- What tools do students use to create their online identity?
- How do students want to project themselves online?
- What are the advantages of having an online identity?
- What are the disadvantages of having an online identity?
We want our students to understand that being safe when they visit websites is similar to staying safe in real life. We teach them how to recognize websites that are good for them to visit. We also encourage them to recognize if they should ask an adult they trust before they visit a particular website. Students learn that the information they put online leaves a digital footprint or “trail.” This trail can be big or small, helpful or hurtful, depending on how they manage it.
Does it always go to plan? No, there are always going to be some students who manage to land on sites they shouldn’t. But mistakes provide us with opportunity; opportunity to continue the conversation.
And that’s where the learning is.