Lead Image © RAJESH RAJENDRAN NAIR, 123RF.com

Privacy Concerns: Beyond the GDPR

Welcome

Article from ADMIN 45/2018

By Ken Hess

May 25, 2018, marked a significant milestone for privacy advocates around the world. It was General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Day. I'm not sure anyone calls it that officially, but I'm calling it that unofficially. The importance of GDPR goes beyond the right to be forgotten and acknowledging that some site you visit collects your personal data. It acknowledges that we, as customers, as consumers, as site visitors, as viewers, are more than simply marketing endpoints; we are people. We are people who don't necessarily want our search histories, our shopping habits, our text messages, or our Facebook posts shared with the entire planet. And we really don't want our private information being published at-large on the Internet. You can search for just about anyone and find out the current address, previous addresses, arrest records, traffic violations, relatives' names, spouses' names, children's names, and so much more. All of this "public" information is freely published and available for anyone's eyes. It's beyond a privacy violation, but hopefully it's not beyond the reach of privacy regulations such as the GDPR.

And, yes, I realize that the GDPR covers the European Union (EU) and not those of us suffering from blatant privacy violations in the US and elsewhere. I, for one, wish that it did cover us. Everyone should have a right to privacy. You'd agree if you'd ever had a stalker or known someone who has. It's disturbing how much someone can find out about you with a simple Internet search, and it shouldn't be allowed to happen.

Privacy doesn't happen by accident – meaning that if you haven't taken specific and determined steps to protect your privacy, you're in for a big surprise: You don't have any privacy. If you're a social media user, explore the Privacy and Security settings for each media outlet you use and set your privacy controls to suit your personal tolerance level. I generally turn off any location settings and limit

...

Use Express-Checkout link below to read the full article (PDF).