Initially, privacy concerns involving computer technology arose because citizens
ID: 3920862 • Letter: I
Question
Initially, privacy concerns involving computer technology arose because citizens feared that a strong centralized government could easily collect and store data about them. In the 1960s, for example, there was talk of constructing a national computerized database in the United States, and many were concerned that George Orwell's prediction of Big Brother in his classic book 1984 had finally arrived. The centralized database, however, never materialized. Prior to September 11, 2001, some privacy advocates suggested that we have fewer reasons to be concerned about the federal government's role in privacy intrusions (Big Brother) than we do about privacy threats from the commercial sector (Big Bucks and Big Browser). Is that assessment still accurate? Defend your answer.
Explanation / Answer
Answer)
Privacy concerns related to computer technology arose because citizens feared that a strong centralized government could easily collect and store data about them. As the government can collect information, store and analyze the information for possible security risks, to protect the people in the national and international markets.
The country tries to analyze the information inside the country and the communications of the people of the country, such as to control security issues such as terrorism and to take actions before something major happens. In the 1960s, for example, there was talk of constructing a national computerized database in the United States, as much as the notion that "Big Brother" computer and communications surveillance will watch all. It was there that all the information of the communications were supposed to the stored and analyzed. But that didn't happen, and Big Brother never took place.
Also, some privacy advocates suggested that we have fewer reasons to be concerned about the federal government's role in privacy intrusions (Big Brother) than we do about privacy threats from the commercial sector (Big Bucks and Big Browser). What they meant is that, the federal government's role in privacy intrusions such as collection and processing of the communications data for the citizens of the country seemed to be of a lesser problem than the privacy threats from the commercial sector.
This is because, we all suppose that whatever the government will do or act in according even to collect the data of people’s communications in an unauthorized way it will be to protect the nation and the country against outside attacks and security risks. But, the commercial risks privacy threats from the commercial sector, means that commercial sector companies collect data and does not have stringent regulations in usage of the data. Thus, commercial companies collect the data and which can be used for any usage rather than which are already defined, data can also get international rather than just national. Thus, we have fewer reasons to be concerned about the federal government's role in privacy intrusions than we do about privacy threats from the commercial sector.