Internet privacy is a hot topic with the recent introduction of SOPA and PIPA legislation. Should your ISP be able to sell your browsing data?
What about if you are not using secure connections for certain websites, like bank websites? The issue of internet privacy is really up in the air at this point. This blog post will explore what some people have to say about it.
Who should have access to your browsing data?
Some people think that it is nobody else’s business what sites you visit. It’s your data, so why should anyone have access to it? You can read up on their opinions in the article ” Internet Privacy – when is enough, enough” by Nathan F.
However, other people disagree and think that an ISP should be able to sell your internet usage data. In the article ” Why ISPs Should Be Able To Sell Your Browsing History”
The article makes a point that without making money from users’ browsing habits, there will be no incentive for companies to actually maintain or upgrade their infrastructure, which would lead to slower speeds and/or higher prices.
I’m not sure how I feel about that all. Would you want your internet service provider to be able to sell your browsing history? Your banking history? What if the government had access to it as well?
These are important questions with weighty implications, and cannot be readily answered in one blog post. It’s something that should definitely be discussed.
Another important question that often gets overlooked is how secure your browsing habits are, especially when you’re on non-secure websites like Facebook or online banking.
In an article about internet safety, the author brings up a point which I had never considered before: following bad internet security practices can actually put you in danger outside of the internet as well.
“A hacker can intercept your home address if you input it into a non-secure website (like Facebook) and then use that information to track where you live or work.”
It’s something that doesn’t come up often, but it is definitely worth noting. I’m not sure how much danger you could actually be in if you are just surfing on Facebook, but I would advise that everyone be careful and take the necessary precautions.
Conclusion: What do we think?
So should your internet service provider be able to sell your browsing data? How secure is your information when visiting non-secure websites like Facebook? And what about government access to user’s browsing data? These are all good questions to ask.
Everyone should have a right to privacy, but the internet has become such a large part of our lives that it is difficult to maintain anonymity when using it.
I’m not sure if I agree with ISP’s being able to sell users’ browsing history, although I can see how other people might feel differently. It seems like this issue will be an ongoing debate for a long time to come, so I’m sure we’ll hear more arguments both for and against it.
What kinds of information can be found in a browsing history?
Here is a partial list of the kinds of information that can be found in a browsing history (it doesn’t include every possibility):
• Webpages visited
• Sites logged into (banking sites, Facebook, etc)
• Emails sent and received
• Videos watched on YouTube or other streaming video websites
• Documents downloaded online
• Medical information located while searching for symptoms or health information
• Instant messages sent and received through Skype or other instant messaging services
• Any personally identifiable information (name, address, phone number, social security number, etc) that is found on a website. That is just to name a few of the possibilities.
Wherever there are passwords, private information, or credit card numbers, there is always a chance that someone with ill intent could find it. This makes for an incredibly detailed picture of your activities online that is extremely valuable to marketers and hackers alike.
How much is an ISP allowed to charge for the privilege of accessing your personal data?
This is a question for the Supreme Court, who will make the ultimate decision. Given what we know about how much information can be gained from someone’s browsing history (and how valuable that information could be on the open market) it would not surprise me if ISPs started charging high fees to access certain kinds of data.
For example, there could be a charge if your ISP wants to look at your browsing history for the purposes of marketing research. There will also definitely be fees attached to accessing any private information found on a user’s browsing history, which could include bank account numbers or social security numbers.
I’m sure that the fees would vary depending on who is selling access to what data, but it could potentially be a source of income for ISPs.
What do we think will happen?
It all comes down to if the Supreme Court decides that ISP’s can sell browsing history or not. Ultimately, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you what kind of impact this decision would have if they decide it is legal for them to do so.
It has the potential to revolutionize how your information is used both for good and bad. The Supreme Court will be making their decision in June, but until then I guess we’ll just have to wait and see…
Should you be able to opt-out of having your internet service provider sell your browsing history?
This is another question that will be decided by the Supreme Court, but this decision probably won’t have as much of an effect on users. Basically, if you are an ISP customer you should be allowed to opt-out of having your browsing history sold in some way or form.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that even when browsing history is not sold, you should still expect any private information found in your browsing history to be sold. Whether or not this is a good thing remains to be seen, and I think it depends on how users would feel about having their browsing history tracked.
It’s possible that we could see the creation of new privacy laws surrounding ISP’s and their customers.
Would you be happy knowing that your ISP was selling your browsing history? If so, why?
Personally, I would not be happy knowing that my internet service provider was selling the information I put out on the web for anyone to see.
For example, there are some websites I visit that are somewhat embarrassing or incriminating (like certain subreddits, or dating websites) and I would not want my internet service provider (or even worse…the government!) to have any say over them.
Using the same example, if certain subreddits are blocked by ISPs it could lead to more people being exposed to online censorship, which is unfair considering what kind of information users should be allowed to access on the web.
I would also be worried about what kind of information is valuable enough to sell, especially in the case of accounts with private information like bank account numbers or social security numbers. If someone were to hack into my internet service provider’s database, they could steal my personal information! It really doesn’t seem very safe…
Is it possible for ISPs to provide broadband without using customers’ private info as a commodity to be sold?
I think it is possible for ISPs to provide broadband without using customers’ private information as a commodity, but my personal opinion would have to be that there should not be any kind of exchange between an ISP and their customer.
In my opinion, they already offer internet access in return for money from the customer, which seems pretty straightforward to me. If I’m paying for something, you shouldn’t be allowed to sell it behind my back.
The bottom line is that no one should have the right to see your browsing history without your permission…not even your ISP! And certainly not for money.
Why does this matter – what are the consequences if we allow our ISP’s to sell our private information and why should we care about that risk?
The consequences of allowing an ISP to sell a customer’s private information are far-reaching and could have long-lasting effects on both the browsing experience and privacy rights for users.
If our ISP’s decide to sell our browsing history it means that we lose control over what other people see about us, which makes it easier for them to take advantage of us or use our personal information against us.
For example, a business could potentially target a specific audience if they knew who was visiting their website and what they liked, which means that customers may not be getting the best deals on products they buy—or even receive advertisements for things they might want to buy!
This also makes it easier for hackers to steal private information like social security numbers and bank account numbers, which could do irreparable damage to consumers.
