Online Services and the Price You Pay (Privacy)
We have online email, online documents, online meeting, online storage, and now even online operating systems. We are being pushed into everything online for all our computer needs; which scares the hell out of me. After this last Government's Administration, I hope we all understand that these companies will give out whatever information the Government wants, no matter how illegal it is.
Our right to privacy seems to be going down the tubes these days. Let's take for example an online storage site called iBackup. Looks like a great way to backup my hard drive, for little money and the security of knowing my data is protected...or is it. Here is a line direct from their site about the privacy of your information and I quote “We do not voluntarily share the user's personal information with any third party without the user's express consent or unless compelled by applicable state and federal laws “. And that's just your personal information that you provide to sign up with these people!
So we know our email is tracked, monitored and can be read by the Government at anytime,(Patriot Act) this would also be true of online Office App documents, and storage backups. Now they want to push into an “online” operating system that runs from their company servers. This means anything you do is viewable, track-able and accessible to the company and the government. I don't know about you, but that's a little too much power for any company or Government to have. My advise is be aware of what you are getting into with these types of service. How much privacy are you willing to give up for the attraction of these “online conveniences? Below is a list of “online services; being currently offered on the internet. Now I challenge you to look for and read the privacy agreements on these services and judge then for yourself.
Mozy Online Backup Service
http://mozy.com/?ref=0811cfe9&gclid=CMK8wI-MqZwCFQUhnAodamqHjQ
ZoHo Online Productivity Apps
http://www.zoho.com/
Google Docs
http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/index.html
Glide Online O/S
http://www.glidedigital.com/
While online solutions sound perfect, we need to remember that this is not a perfect world and it's up to the individual to get informed and become conscious of the computer world at large.
For me, the words of Thomas Jefferson say it all,
"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."
I believe this to be more true for the people of this country, not so much the Government that uses it to justify it's wrong doings.
Our right to privacy seems to be going down the tubes these days. Let's take for example an online storage site called iBackup. Looks like a great way to backup my hard drive, for little money and the security of knowing my data is protected...or is it. Here is a line direct from their site about the privacy of your information and I quote “We do not voluntarily share the user's personal information with any third party without the user's express consent or unless compelled by applicable state and federal laws “. And that's just your personal information that you provide to sign up with these people!
So we know our email is tracked, monitored and can be read by the Government at anytime,(Patriot Act) this would also be true of online Office App documents, and storage backups. Now they want to push into an “online” operating system that runs from their company servers. This means anything you do is viewable, track-able and accessible to the company and the government. I don't know about you, but that's a little too much power for any company or Government to have. My advise is be aware of what you are getting into with these types of service. How much privacy are you willing to give up for the attraction of these “online conveniences? Below is a list of “online services; being currently offered on the internet. Now I challenge you to look for and read the privacy agreements on these services and judge then for yourself.
Mozy Online Backup Service
http://mozy.com/?ref=0811cfe9&gclid=CMK8wI-MqZwCFQUhnAodamqHjQ
ZoHo Online Productivity Apps
http://www.zoho.com/
Google Docs
http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/index.html
Glide Online O/S
http://www.glidedigital.com/
While online solutions sound perfect, we need to remember that this is not a perfect world and it's up to the individual to get informed and become conscious of the computer world at large.
For me, the words of Thomas Jefferson say it all,
"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."
I believe this to be more true for the people of this country, not so much the Government that uses it to justify it's wrong doings.
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