What's Wrong With The Internet?
1) Summarise the article in 50 words.
This article discusses the privacy questions held by many about the internet and how it uses its ability to track people's online activity to make money. It also briefly talks about the online facades the majority of us create when sharing content online, content that depends on our audience; the article says that the things we share that could be viewed by our parents would differ to the things we share on other platforms in the knowledge that our parents would NOT be able to see it.
2) Are you worried about companies tracking your online movement?
For the most part, no, because my online activity doesn't involve anything that would warrant any concern. Having said that, I don't like the idea of a complete stranger becoming familiar with my daily online habits, making it easier for them to find out information I wouldn't intentionally provide.
3) Are the questions over data and privacy small prices to pay for the possibilities provided by the internet?
To an extent, yes, because some people take no care in protecting themselves whilst using these countless online possibilities so the repercussions they experience could be considered to be self inflicted, however, for people that consciously try not to reveal personal information online, the privacy concerns/infringements they experience could be considered unfair results of taking advantage of the positive aspects of the internet.
4) Should governments be able to spy on our activity online? Where would you draw the line - social media? Private messaging conversations? Our phone photos and contacts?
I think the line should be drawn at spying altogether - I think that it's an unfair invasion of people's privacy and it prevents them from living their own lives without feeling watched/controlled. Personally, I would find it hard to enjoy myself and be happy if I knew that every one of my online movements on every platform was being tracked. Others would argue that giving governments the ability to spy on our online habits would aid the prevention of terrorist attacks, but in my opinion, an private messaging conversation is no different than a face to face conversation, and both could
5) Read this Guardian news story from last week on Harvard withdrawing offers due to offensive memes on Facebook. In your opinion, were Harvard right to rescind those offers?
Personally I think Harvard made an unnecessarily harsh decision because although the memes shared were offensive, they were shared in private messages rather than on a public platform and therefore at less risk of causing offence to the wider public.
This article discusses the privacy questions held by many about the internet and how it uses its ability to track people's online activity to make money. It also briefly talks about the online facades the majority of us create when sharing content online, content that depends on our audience; the article says that the things we share that could be viewed by our parents would differ to the things we share on other platforms in the knowledge that our parents would NOT be able to see it.
2) Are you worried about companies tracking your online movement?
For the most part, no, because my online activity doesn't involve anything that would warrant any concern. Having said that, I don't like the idea of a complete stranger becoming familiar with my daily online habits, making it easier for them to find out information I wouldn't intentionally provide.
3) Are the questions over data and privacy small prices to pay for the possibilities provided by the internet?
To an extent, yes, because some people take no care in protecting themselves whilst using these countless online possibilities so the repercussions they experience could be considered to be self inflicted, however, for people that consciously try not to reveal personal information online, the privacy concerns/infringements they experience could be considered unfair results of taking advantage of the positive aspects of the internet.
4) Should governments be able to spy on our activity online? Where would you draw the line - social media? Private messaging conversations? Our phone photos and contacts?
I think the line should be drawn at spying altogether - I think that it's an unfair invasion of people's privacy and it prevents them from living their own lives without feeling watched/controlled. Personally, I would find it hard to enjoy myself and be happy if I knew that every one of my online movements on every platform was being tracked. Others would argue that giving governments the ability to spy on our online habits would aid the prevention of terrorist attacks, but in my opinion, an private messaging conversation is no different than a face to face conversation, and both could
5) Read this Guardian news story from last week on Harvard withdrawing offers due to offensive memes on Facebook. In your opinion, were Harvard right to rescind those offers?
Personally I think Harvard made an unnecessarily harsh decision because although the memes shared were offensive, they were shared in private messages rather than on a public platform and therefore at less risk of causing offence to the wider public.
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