Exploiting Privacy Information

Privacy defined as “the quality of being secluded from the presence or view of others,” taken from the Princeton Dictionary. From my understanding, the definition above tells that in the state when someone or something is out of views of anyone other than the owner himself.

My main concerned on privacy is how private information being manipulated in the Internet. I would like to share some thought on the issue where the e-mails that send or received through the mailing provider, whether they are still in the term of privacy or not. Some provider might give notice to the user if they are about to access the mail or not, also there are other don’t. Some of the agencies can still get an access, like FBI or CIA. Although it does not happen directly to us, there are still happens to few people. As for an example, CIA can get access and read the information such as email or phone calls. Because of the threat, the local public fights for their privacy, but who they (the owner of information) want to blame. If to blame the provider, they get paid for suing but those agencies still can continue their operation. But how can we blame the agency?

While in Malaysia, some cases that can override policy is the local authority. In such case where they need to trace the source of criminal using the histories through the mobile phone service. They read the call logs, and even read the SMS message. It is practiced during the missing girl few year ago. Some of us might not find it as threat. But what if the criminal somehow link to our mobile account like they are using fake number or the criminal by mistake called ours because of wrong number, or using anonymity by take our identity temporary. These authorities by right will read our personal messages. Where can we put our privacy in this case? According to the Privacy International, Malaysia was in the bottom rank in best privacy practicing.

By now, I still got at least have some worries on any information given through the public services such as calls, SMS and e-mails. This is the privacy not applied to everyone; still there is someone who can access. My next action is to make sure that I can minimize as much as possible to give out my personal information. Using anonymity does not violate the law, just as precaution before it happens to me. I think by doing this, the term privacy is not just for blaming others but it also need self control.