Onward Online Privacy

This Avid Weekly article explains the "Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights" and how it would affect Internet users. It "offers a sensible set of principles for online privacy, calling on Web companies to minimize their collection of personal data, help users make informed choices about the information they reveal, and not use personal data for new purposes without the user's consent."   The law would regulate the privacy standards without taking total control of the company.    However, the company would have to disclose its activities.   

The “Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights” is a response to SOPA, also known as the “Stop Online Piracy Act.”  This act imposed to support an end to online piracy over copyrighted material.  Over 7,000 Websites participated in a protest or “blackout” until midnight on January 18, 2012.  These Websites included Google, Wikipedia, Reddit, Wordpress, and Mozilla.        

I support the “Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights”.  It would do more good than it would bad.  The “Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights” would probably decrease the amount of piracy and invalid information online.  I think this law could stop privacy abuses online.  This law would also force companies to stop making misleading statements about their privacy standards.   “Pressures from users has forced companies such as Facebook and Google to be more protective of other types of personal information they collect” The “Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights “allows the consumers/users of a Website more control over their information.   The article argues that by allowing users more control over their information, they can make better choices.   This law does have negative aspects.  Many Websites would be forced to get rid of much of their information because it does not belong to them.  This is yet another reason why I support this law:  taking work that does not belong to you is plagiarism and stealing.  Why should a company take credit for another person’s work?     

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/17/wikipedia-blackout_n_1212096.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/17/google-joins-online-sopa-protest_n_1210990.html