YOU post it, THEY own it!

More people have a facebook account then the total population in the United states, that's over 3 million people. Over 3 million people, put their personal information on the internet. Now anyone can access it, even if their account is private. In the click of a button anyone can know your address, phone number, anything. the reason for this, is, we have no internet privacy. Facebook is the worst when it comes to privacy. In fact facebook sells your information to third parties, for advertising purposes. No matter where you go, what you do or search, people will always be able to get that information through data bases that save that information. None of us are save from the internet spies and will never be unless we have some laws that protect us.

      As of now only sixteen states have some privacy laws, unfortunately most of the don't cover at home privacy and only talk about employee privacy. Nevada and Minnesota are requiring internet service providers to keep certain information private if it concerning their customers, unless the customer gives permission to reveal the information. That means only the things their provider knows is secret but what about all of the things on their email and other accounts that's supposed to be private. those things are still not private which means even with the laws people are still extremely vulnerable to internet scams and hackers. In California and Utah, the laws require all non-financial businesses to inform customers, by writing a letter or by email, the types of private information the business shares with or sells to third parties for direct marketing purposes. So not only are you and your information unsafe but now people are making profits from it. that's unsafe and invading. In responds to complaints such as those, business' reply by saying "you posted it." monitor what you say or else someone might just tell you, "you post it online why can't I use it."

      Not only do business' use your information but, so do colleges. If students apply to college, chances are the college that is applied to is one that uses facebook for information about the student. Any tagged photos, status', videos, and even conversations are used against them. So yet again facebook is the cause to a problem, the difference is, this time it will affect someones whole future, and could possible change their life, and not always in a good way. When a student denies adding a college (as a friend) on facebook, the college will then turn around and add a friend to try and get access to any sort of pictures, videos, or comments. Which means you have no choice as to whether or not you get spied on. Watch what you post and what posts your in because chances are you might just be tagged in a picture that could be the cause of you being denied from a great college like Harvard. Schools are not the places that use facebook and other networks to spy.

      Work places are now using emails, social networks, and cell phones to gain access to workers personal information. In the case Quon VS. Ontario police department. In this case OPD gave their employees phones. Most of the officers went over the limit for texts, all though they paid for the overage fees the OPD was curious as to weather they needed to increase the text plans or if it was mostly personal usage. They then got all of the text messages from their carrier and began searching through them. Quon was later fired for explicit content in his messages. Quon sued for a violation of the fourth amendment. The police department never gave any notification of the search in fact the officers had no idea the search was even being though of. All of the officers privacy was violated just so they could know if a plan updated was needed, when really the OPD could have easily ask the officers if there messages were all work related. The police department feels they issued the phones so they are technically property of the department not the officers that used them. Picture this, you call, text, or email your mom or dad, from work to talk to them about something urgent and extremely private. The part you don't know is your work records all of that information. Now everything you discussed that was PRIVATE is no longer a secret. Once you walk through the doors to your job your personal life is over. Luckily not every employer uses methods to spy, this does not mean someone else isn't.

     
     "Our virtual lives are our lives," says Adam Bunting. So when you go to make that post about how much you love partying, just remember Harvard wont except the answer "I'm not really like that." or "That's not what I meant." Say what you mean and mean what you say because not everyone will take it the same way. Another thing when you go shopping online to get that awesome new Lady GaGa song keep in mind before you put your credit card number in, anyone can then get those numbers. The internet is not a safe place this is why we need protection! If we had a law passed saying private things can STAY private we would all be much safer.