Privacy Online A Concern Around the World

This paper broadly explores online privacy issues through three different lenses: data governance, online trust and confidence, and online security.

Data governance addresses the issue of who owns and controls data, how it is used, and by whom. Online trust and confidence explores the perceptions that people have about their privacy online, as well as the policies and practices that companies have in place to protect people's privacy. Online security looks at the technical measures that are used to protect people's privacy online, as well as the threats that exist to undermine those measures.

Data Governance

The concept of data governance has been around for awhile, but it has taken on new urgency in the wake of the Edward Snowden revelations about mass surveillance by the US National Security Agency (NSA). Data governance is about who owns and controls data, how it is used, and by whom.

There are a number of different stakeholders involved in data governance, including government agencies, companies, and individuals. Each of these groups has a different interest in data governance.

Government agencies want to be able to collect and use data for national security purposes. Companies want to be able to use data to improve their products and services. And individuals want to be able to control who has access to their personal data.

The problem is that these interests are often in conflict with each other. For example, the NSA's mass surveillance program was secret until it was revealed by Edward Snowden. This revelation caused a lot of people to lose trust in the US government.

Companies are also collecting more and more data about their users. This data is often used to target ads and sell products. But it can also be used to violate people's privacy, as was the case with the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

And individuals often have little control over how their personal data is used. They may not even be aware of all the ways that companies are collecting and using their data.

This conflict between the interests of different stakeholders is one of the biggest challenges in data governance. There is no easy solution, but it is clear that there needs to be more transparency and accountability when it comes to how data is collected and used.

Online Trust and Confidence

People's perceptions about their privacy online are shaped by a number of factors, including the policies and practices of the companies they interact with. If people don't trust a company, they are less likely to do business with it.

The Cambridge Analytica scandal was a perfect example of this. The scandal erupted when it was revealed that the data-mining firm had collected personal data from 87 million Facebook users without their knowledge or consent. This led to a lot of people losing trust in Facebook and questioning whether they wanted to continue using the service.

The key to building trust is transparency. Companies need to be clear about what data they are collecting and why. They also need to give people the ability to control how their data is used.

Online Security

Online security is another important factor in protecting people's privacy. Technical measures, such as encryption, can help to protect people's data from being accessed by unauthorized parties. But these measures are not foolproof, and they can be undermined by vulnerabilities, such as the Heartbleed bug.

The problem is that online security is often seen as a trade-off between security and convenience. For example, two-factor authentication is a great way to improve security. But it can also be a hassle for users, which is why many companies don't require it.

The balancing of security and convenience is something that all companies need to consider when developing their products and services. It is also something that all individuals need to consider when choosing which products and services to use.