Myth: Online services are totally free.
Truth: Many ostensibly free online services are paid for by advertising that relies
on the collection of your personal information, including tracking your
information searches.
Myth: Government surveillance keeps us safe by stopping crime.
Truth: Surveillance cameras can help solve crimes after the fact, but rarely
prevent crimes.
Myth: My personal data is secure with devices that use radio-frequency
identification (RFID) technology, like my transit and ID cards.
Truth: Without privacy and security standards for RFID technology, RFID tags
can be read without your knowledge or consent, gathering sensitive
personal data.
Myth: Only people with something to hide need to worry about privacy.
Truth: The issue of privacy is not about what an individual has to hide, but
what society stands to lose: freedom and control.
Myth: Privacy costs too much.
Truth: A similar argument was made about safety in the 1950s, when automakers
balked at consumer advocates’ calls for seat belts in cars. The Internet is
maturing, and establishing privacy norms is a necessary part of making it
a safe, sustainable, environment for information exchange.
Myth: Privacy standards will impede the free flow of information and make the
Web less convenient.
Truth: The Web has proven to have enormous capacity to adapt technologically.
It’s our social and political culture that must evolve to offer some form of
self-determination about who is allowed to see what information.
American Library Association
Office for Intellectual Freedom
50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611
800-545-2433, ext. 4221
www.ala.org | www.privacyrevolution.org
Coming soon to Fogelson Library's DVD collection:
Award-winning director Ondi Timoner documented [Josh Harris's] tumultuous life for more than a decade to create a riveting, cautionary tale of what to expect as the virtual world inevitably takes control of our lives.
Electronic Frontier FoundationPRIVACY REVOLUTION
Our vision is to inspire Americans to recommit to their privacy.
In the spirit of civic values that allow people to freely seek information in all formats without fear of retribution or exploitation, it’s time to reclaim our right to privacy. Choose Privacy Week is a new initiative that invites people into a national conversation about privacy rights in a digital age. The campaign gives individuals the resources to think critically and make more informed choices about their privacy.
http://www.privacyrevolution.org/
