|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Privacy on the NetEveryone values privacy to some degree or the other. But who decides what information concerning you should remain private? There are many facets to this question. The U.S. Constitution guarantees the freedom of speech. Government records are for the most part open to inspection,provided the release does not impair national security or on going investigations. The Freedomof Information Act insures your accessibility to this information. On the one hand this is good. On the other, it has set up a system whereby many people have an extraordinary amount of data on you. The organizations that accumulate this information range from giant marketing firms, to credit card companies and government agencies. Don't be fooled, they scratch each others back! It is not uncommon for a state drivers license bureau to " sell" information about you to credit reporting agencies and marketing firms. Publishing and magazine firms are very rich in information about you. In fact, skip tracers should always use a publishing/marketing database to help pin point skips,especially if they have a known interest or hobby which would lead to a magazine subscription. The fact remains the data is collected by many corporate giants, and the biggest is the computer industry! Whenever you surf the net or send an e mail you leave "cookies". By now, most of us are familiar with cookies and it's purpose. As a quick review, when you hit upon a website, information about your IP (Internet Protocol) and other data concerning the type of computer you use and your ISP (internet service provider) is left behind on the sever of the website. Of course, the purpose behind this activity is to acquire marketing information such as what and where your interests lie.And of course, when you shop online! WarningThe international organization that sets internet standards, IETF( Internet Engineering Task Force is now considering a proposal called "IPv6" which will put a permenant identifing IP serial number on every single parcel of information from your computer. This would ultimately allow close personal information about you,such as your name and address! Privacy advocates are strongly opposed to this proposal. This monitoring of computer activity is becoming common in the work place. A survey conducted by the Society for Human Resources shows 36% of employers "review" emplyees e- mails on a regular basis. This is their lawful right. At home, the monitoring continues. However you have choses. Lets start with the given premise that any e mail you send in cyberspace is an open postcard. That's the rule! Can a postman read your postcard... sure if he has that kind of inclination. It's the same ease with e mails. Let Investigator's Digest help prevent these abuses. What's the Solution?Use "anonymous remailers" when sending e mails. Most of these services are free, offered by individuals who feel strongly about privacy. It work in a s imple manner. Your e mail is sent through their server, which in turns "strips" your identification from the message, then forwards your message on to it's destination. But remember...your message is visible to others that might intercept it, but the senders identity is gone. Not bad for most! For investigators, attorneys, doctors and others who must or should keep the " message" itself private more is needed. The cure is encryption. Tip: Try some of these free secure e mail services. Although, nothing is perfect, these are as close as you'll get. To send free encrypted e mail go to www.ziplip.com This system is very fast and reliable. Instructions are as easy as one, two, three! Other ways to e mail and surf the web anonymiously is to go through www.anonymizer.com Some services are free, while premium services charge a nominal fee. Similiar services are offered for free by Janus Anonymity at www.rewebber.com and at Proxymate www.proxymate.com For investigators who wish to maintain internet presence for their business, and at the same time maintain privacy there are several sources that could help you. Check out www.idg.net for private web site hosting at around $49.95/month. For reliable privacy and encryption try a site recommended by Andre Bacard, the foremost computer privacy expert. It is called " mixmasters" found at www.gilc.org/speech/anonymous/remailer.html or try "cyberpunks" atthe following website www.cyberpunks.org Investigator's Digest suggests reading Mr Bacard's book, the "Computer Privacy Handbook" for authoritative information on the entire topic of high tech privacy. You'll learn in simple terms, the concepts of enryption PGP ( Pretty Good Privacy),how to protect yourself from the federal government's " Big Brother". Find more information by clicking on www.andrebacard.com/privacy.html While your there read his FAQ. It is a wealth of information with all the links you'll need! |
 Sign Guestbook |
 View Guestbook |
| Lakeland | FL | 33804 |
|
. |
| Visitors: 01169 |