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PRIVACY IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Critics' concerns about the World Wide Web are not limited to what companies deliver to people's computers via their websites and e-mail. The concerns also extend to what the companies often try to take from people as they use their computers. At issue is the information that web firms want about the individuals and organizations with whom they interact.

Companies are not the only targets of these worries. Activists fear that governments—federal or state—might enact laws that give them arbitrarypowers to tap into people's computers or Internet activities. Officials from police agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have already tried to prevent Internet software from helping potential criminals make their e-mail totally untraceable by law-enforcement authorities. After the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, members of Congress draftedlaws aimed at allowing the FBI and other agencies to trace digital routesmore easily than in earlier years. However, Congress allowed the laws to expire two years later so that they could reevaluate and amendthe laws if necessary.

In general, concerned individuals and organizations argue that we are moving into a new information age. It is a period, they say, in which governments will be able to compilefar more information about citizens than the citizens want them to know. It is also a time when companies will be able to find out far more about their customers than those customers appreciate.In the new digital age, the critics assureus, reinforcingprivacy must be a priority.

This themehas become a media issue only rather recently. In earlier times, privacy was often defined as "the right to be let alone," to quote Samuel Warren and Louis Brandeis in a famous 1890 Harvard Law Review article. In the twenty-first century, privacy has become a topicthat people debate when they are worried about governments, employers, or credit companies making technicalinvasions into their personal lives.

In the past 15 years or so, concern about civilianprivacy has erupted noisily into the media sphere.Most of the noise has related to corporate rather than government activities because of a belief that laws are less rigidwith regard to business interference. The first signs of concern


Chapter 19 • Information Science and Technology



commencedin the 1970s, when companies began to use computers to combine enormous amounts of information from public and private records about virtually everyone in the country and sell this information to marketers. Many marketers use these firms' universal databases (so-called because they hold information on almost everyone) to find people whose characteristics

30 make them potential customers.

Donnelley s Conquest/Direct database, for example, offers marketers the filesof 90 percent of all U.S. households by demographic criteria(for example, age, gender,race, job, number of children, marital status), lifestyle activities (for example, financial investments, hobbies, vacations taken, vehicles owned), sales expenses, and creditworthiness. Its software allows clients to



35 generate customized color chartsof their market areas to see how the people who live there fit into these categories.

Many other companies offer other types of universal database services to help marketers identify prospects. The Carol Wright database, for example, covers 30 million households. For each household, the indexincludes information about dress size, pets owned, veteran status, type

40 of aspirin preferred, and other such information.

In addition to this bulk of knowledge, marketers themselves have been adjustingto the constantly decreasing costs of computer power by creating their databases from information they learn themselves about their customers, by asking them directly and by keeping records of their purchases. These storehouses of information are called transactional databases. A marketer that

45 wants more explicitinformation about the customers in its transactional database can turn to a company such as Database America. This company will match the names and addresses of the marketers customers against its data on more than 84 million households. The resulting merged file could supply the marketer with a wealth of concurrentinformation about each customer's purchasing behavior, estimated income, credit extended by mail-order firms, investments, credit

50 cards, and more.

According to advocatesof Internet tracking, it is an excellent way to gain insightabout what users want and how best to serve them. Moreover, the managers of websites see the ability to target content and ads to individuals based on the computer's knowledge of these individuals' interests and past behavior as crucial to their competitive advantage over magazines and cable

55 television when it comes to attracting advertisers. Conversely, however, privacy advocates point out that tracking personal behavior, on or off the web, is often done without the knowledge or consentof the consumer.

Media executives rarely argue publicly that people should be deniedthe right to request firms to ceasecollecting information about them. Under government pressures, many often

60 admit that members of the public should have the right to know that material about them is being collected. Media executives emphasize, however, that in today's competitive media world, being able to show advertisers that a medium can deliver specific, desirable types of people is crucial for their survival. Supporters of data collection also claim that the invasion of privacy has its positive side. They argue that the more marketers know about people, the more they will be

65 able to convinceindividuals that the materials they send are relevant to their lives. The result, they say, is that people will be unlikely to complain that they receive junk mail.

Nowadays, most web marketers say that they understand people's reluctanceto have certain information made public. They also insist, however, that many individuals are willing to give up information about themselves if in return they get something that they consider valuable. Many

70 privacy advocates agree that people should have the right to decide whether they want to provide


202 Essential Academic Vocabulary

information as part of a transaction. They disagree with the web marketers on the modeof information retrieval. Privacy advocates want members of the public to have to opt-in when it comes to giving out information. That is, marketers should be prohibitedfrom collecting information about a person unless that person explicitly consents (perhaps by checking a box

75 online). Marketers contend that getting opt-in permission is too difficult because people are either too lazy to give it or are concerned about their privacy. The marketers prefer an opt-out approach. That means that they will be permitted to collect personal information from consumers as long as they inform people and give them the opportunity to check a "no" box or negatepermission in some other way.

so Privacy advocates are voicing increasing public concern about the restorationof privacy in the

digital sphere. However, industry representatives contradictthese concerns by insisting that interactive sites and marketers can regulate themselves. Accompanyingthese arguments is the international nature of the issue. The European Union (EU) uses an opt-in approach, for example, and U.S. companies have to promise to accept the more rigid EU rules when they deal with

85 European customers. This discriminationangers U.S. advocates, who perceive the European approach as the one that shows the greatest integrity.To sumup, it is clear that the continuing fight over privacy in the digital age will not be a straightforwardissue to mediateand resolve.

Adapted from Joseph Turow, Media Today: An Introduction to Mass Communication, 2nd ed. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2003), 529-32.


1. Vocabulary in Context

Find the boldface words in the reading that correspond to the following meanings.

 

change Paragraph 9 k.
without   1.
good reason Paragraph 10 m.
declare   n.
positively collect Paragraph 11 o.
domain strict sex Paragraph 12 p. q-r. s.
diagram   t.
at the  
same time    
detailed    

Paragraph 2 a

fa

Paragraph 3 c

d

Paragraph 5 ef

Paragraph 6 g h

Paragraph 8 i

J


supporters

stop

persuade

method

forbidden

unwillingness

honesty

recovery

intervene


Chapter 19 • Information Science and Technology



2. Reading Comprehension

ES Getting the Facts

1. Check the two statements that are true according to paragraph 1.

a. Critics are worried about people accessing business websites without permission.

b. _ Computer users are worried that data are unknowingly compiled about them.

c. People are concerned about unsolicited e-mail.

d. Web companies want to know which businesses people contact online.

2. According to the information in the second paragraph, what have the following groups done
that privacy activists fear may lead to arbitrary invasions of privacy?

a. Federal Bureau of Investigation____________________________________________

b. members of Congress___________________________________________________

3. Put a check mark (*/) next to each item of information specifically mentioned in paragraphs
6 and 7 that various marketers may know about individuals.

a. ____ clothing size I. ____ _ marital status

b. _____ favorite colors m. ____ _ level of education

c. ____ type of car owned n. ____ _ preferred medicines

d. ____ number of children o. ____ _ type of family pet

e. ____ job p. ____ _ interests

f. ____ employment history q. ____ military service

g. _____ shoe size r. ____ _ year of birth

h. sex s. ____ _ vacation preferences

i. salary t. _____ financial investments

j. _ savings account balance u. ____ credit card history

k. Christmas gifts v. _____ _ amount of mortgage

4. In paragraph 8, transactional databases are described. Write a short definition of a
transactional database.



Essential Academic Vocabulary


5. Paragraphs 9, 10, and 11 deal with the arguments for and against Internet tracking. Complete the chart to show three components of the argument on both sides.

 

 

Advocates of Internet Tracking Advocates of Privacy
Hgm««$i ^^^^H
HBB ^^^^H
■H^^^^^^^B

6. Label the following statements as either an opt-in or an opt-out approach, as defined in
paragraph 11.

a. ____________ The consumer is notified that information is being collected and has

the opportunity to deny permission.

b. ____________ The consumer must check a box giving explicit permission to collect

information.

7. According to the information in paragraph 12, which system do U.S. companies use when
they do business?

a. with Europeans ------ opt-in ------ opt-out

b. with Americans ----- opt-in ------- opt-out

Q Making Inferences

1. In 1890, privacy was defined as "the right to be left alone." With the technical intrusions of today, how has this definition changed? What is a current definition of privacy?


2. The author of the reading states both sides of the argument on privacy. However, his choice of words and style may imply that he has a particular bias. What do you think is the author's opinion about digital privacy?


 

You should con­tinue to increase your vocabulary size and enrich the words you already know.


Chapter 19 • Information Science and Technology



3. Dictionary Skills

Complete each sentence with the appropriate word(s) based on the dictionary entries.

civic(siv'lk) adj. 1.Relating to or belonging to a city: Our town's Fourth of July parade is

a major civic event. 2. Relating to citizenship: It is a civic duty to vote in elections.

civ»ics(siv'iks) n. [U] (used with a singular verb). The study of the purpose and function

of local and national government and of the rights and duties of citizens.

civ»il(siv'al) adj. 1.Relating to a citizen or citizens: voting and other civil responsibilities.

2. Relating to the general public rather than to military or religious matters: a couple married in a
civil ceremony at city hall.
3. Polite; courteous: a civil reply. See Synonyms at polite.cWU'lyadv.
civil engineern. An engineer trained in the design and construction of bridges, roads, and
dams. —civil engineering n. [U]

ci»vil*ian(si vil'yan) n. A person not serving in the military. —adj. Relating to civilians: civilian clothes; a civilian career.

ci»vil*i#ty (si vII'Tte) n., pi. ci#vil»i»ties. 1.[U] Courteous behavior; politeness: civility in daily life. 2. [C] An act or expression of politeness: Saying "good morning" is a pleasant civility. civ«i#li»za#tion(siv's li za'shan) n. 1. [U] A condition of human society in which there is a high level of development in the arts and sciences and political and social organizations: Warfare is not consistent with the idea of civilization. 2. [C] The kind of culture and society developed by a particular people or nation in some period of history: ancient civilizations.

3. [U] Informal. Modern society with its conveniences: We were glad to return to civilization
after two weeks of camping.

civ»i»lize (siv'aliz') tr.v, civ»i»lized, civ»i#liz»ing, civ»i»liz»es.To bring (sbdy.) to a

higher level of development in the arts, sciences, culture, and political organization.

civ«i*lized(slv' a llzd') adj. 1. Having or marked by a highly developed society and culture:

civilized life. 2. Polite or cultured: a civilized person.

civil rightspl.n. The rights belonging to an individual as a citizen, especially freedom from

discrimination.

civil servantn. A person employed in the civil service.

civil servicen. 1.[C] All branches of government service that are not legislative, judicial,

or military. 2. [TJ] Those persons employed by the civil branches of the government: Most

people in the civil service in the United States government are hired after competitive examinations.

civil warn. 1.[C] A war between opposing groups of the same country. 2. Civil War.[U]

The war in the United States between the North and the South from 1861 to 1865-

civic civil civil rights civil wars civilizations

civics civil engineering civil servants civilians civilized

1. ____________ have to take difficult tests before being hired by the government.

2. Martin Luther King Jr. is well known as an advocate of___________ , which refers to fair

treatment under the law, regardless of race, gender, or religion.

3. Many cities try to increase____________ pride by holding festivals and planting flowers in

the summer.

4. My sister has always been interested in the construction of bridges, so she is studying

5. In times of war, the lives of___________ may be endangered even though they are not

involved in the fighting.



Essential Academic Vocabulary


6. Although Ben was angry about the invasion of his privacy by a web company, he tried to act in a manner to resolve the problem.

7. High-school students generally take a course in___________ to learn more about the

system of government and their responsibilities as citizens.

8. Historians and archaeologists still have much to learn about ancient___________

throughout the world.

9. My aunt is a very____________ person who loves to visit museums, attend plays, read the

classics, and visit places of historical importance.

10. Several countries in Africa have been involved in________

for many years, which have

led to countless deaths, starvation, and political uncertainty.

4. Word Forms

Chart Completion

Complete the chart with the different forms of each word. Note that some words do not have all forms.

 

Noun Verb Adjective Adverb ^
rigidrh], rigid ness X rigid rigid/if
  contradict   X
advocate   X X
  X explicit  
reluctance X    
    concurrent  
      conversely
  negate    
  appreciate    

assure


Chapter 19 • Information Science and Technology



E3 Word Forms in Sentences

Reread paragraph 12 in "Privacy in the Digital Age." Complete a summary of the paragraph with the following words. Make sure that each word fits grammatically and meaningfully.

advocates contradictory explicit priority restoring

appreciate discriminatory mediation prohibited topic

(1)____________ of privacy are increasingly (2)__________ about their concern for

(3)____________ privacy in the digital domain. However, (4)___________ statements from

industry representatives claim that interactive sites and marketers can regulate themselves. The international nature of the issue accompanies this argument. The European Union uses an opt-in

approach., so U.S. companies are (5)__________ from using the opt-out approach when they

deal with European customers. U.S. advocates do not (6)__________ this (7)--------------------

approach because the European approach is considered to have more integrity. In summary, it is

quite clear that the (8)___________ of privacy in the digital age should be a (9)__________

for (10)____________ and resolution by the government.

5. Collocations

Give two examplesof each of the following common collocations.

1. gender discrimination _

2. arbitrary rules _

3. civilian governments

4. advertising prohibitions

5. essay topics

6. technical problems

7. literary themes

8. building restorations

9. ancient civilizations _

 

10. transportation modes _ ____________

11. confidential files _ ____________

12. parental consent _ ____________

13. words of appreciation _ ____________



Essential Academic Vocabulary


6. Word Parts

-voc- (speak, call)

m

Each of the following words includes the word part -voc-, which means "speak" or "call." Write each word in the box next to its meaning.

Nouns: voice, advocacy, vocation, vocalist, convocation

Verbs: invoke, revoke, vocalize, provoke

Adjectives: vocal, irrevocable, vociferous

1. ____________ _ expressing strong opinions publicly

2. expressing strong opinions loudly (formal)

3. the feeling that you are meant to help others in a particular job

4. ____________ _ a large formal meeting

5. ____________ _ unable to be stopped or amended

6. someone who sings in a band

7. the ability to produce oral sounds

8. express an opinion orally

9. ____________ _ public support for a cause

10. make someone angry

11. cause an idea or image to appear in someone's mind

12. ____________ officially cancel

M

Write a sentence for each of the following terms with -voc- to clearly illustrate the meaning of the phrase.

1. a vocal critic____________________________________________________________

2. vocal chords____________________________________________________________

3. vocational training_______________________________________________________

4. the passive voice


Chapter 19 • Information Science and Technology 209

6. provocative clothes

7. provocative behavior

8. irrevocable damage

7. Writing

Writing a Lab Guide

While working in a computer lab on campus, your supervisor has asked you to write guidelines to help students protect their privacy online. You have been given several points as the basis of your guide, but you need to include additional guidelines and specific details. Write a short guide with an interesting title for protecting online privacy.

• Do not respond to spam e-mail.

• Avoid revealing any personal information.

• Be knowledgeable about web security.

• Do not give personal information to people you meet online.

• Read privacy policies on websites you use.

Paragraph Writing

Write a response to oneof the following topics. Include at least six to eight vocabulary words

in your paragraph.

1. Write a paragraph describing any experiences you have had with violations of online privacy. How do you feel about releasing credit card information online? Are you aware that private information about you may be on databases that are sold to companies? What kind of information about you do you think might be on their databases? Do you know how to make your private information more secure?

2. Spam mail is taking up increasing amounts of space in our mailboxes and is often objectionable in content. How do you feel about this unsolicited mail, and how do you deal with it—do you read it or trash it? What can parents do to stop their children from receiving and opening sexually explicit e-mail or advertisements for inappropriate products? How do you anticipate that the privacy issue regarding spam e-mail will be resolved in the future?



Essential Academic Vocabulary


8. Speaking

m Group Project: Online Privacy Survey

In small groups, prepare the survey together by writing tenstatements relevant to Internet privacy issues. The chart will help you get started. Then each group member should survey six to eight people on how they feel about these issues. Record their responses as Agree, Don't Know, or Disagree.

 

  Survey Statements Agree Don't Know Disagree ^
1. I don't know much about Internet privacy.      
2. I usually give out personal information on the Internet when I'm asked for it.      
3.        
4.        
5.        
6.        
7.        
8.        
9.        
10.        

Chapter 19 • Information Science and Technology 211

Compile the results of your survey. In your group, compare and contrast the information each group member has gathered. Summarize your combined results and give a short report to the class. Emphasize any clear patterns of responses and indicate any areas of concern for Internet users.

□ Role-Plays

Using new vocabulary words from this chapter, act out the following role-plays.


For more activities related to this chapter, go to the Essential Academic Vocabulary website.

1. You have just realized that online companies probably know a lot about you from your recent online purchases. You are angry because you did not consent to this information being taken from you. You complain about this situation to a friend who is majoring in information science and technology. Tell your friend what kinds of information about you might be in a database and ask for advice about protecting your online privacy in the future.

2. You have been receiving increasing amounts of advertising and sexually explicit spam e-mail lately. You are worried that your 10-year-old daughter is going to read this information, but you don't want to prohibit her from using the Internet because she needs to use the Internet for school projects. Call your Internet provider and ask for advice on how to block the spam and how to make sure that you receive e-mail only from people you know.


 


 


 

 


 



 

 


Cumulative Review

Preview Sentences

What do you know about how we process speech? Test your knowledge by deciding whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).


1. 2.

3, 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.


The process of understanding speech sounds is complex.

Speech recognition software can easily comprehend human speech.

The sounds of a specific letter vary depending on the sounds that follow them.

Everyone speaks in the same way.

In real speech, words tend to be joined together.

Voice-recognition software is always accurate.

Knowing the context of a message helps people understand the meaning.

Nonverbal language rarely provides important information in a message.

Body language can be stronger than verbal language.

It is easier to understand someone talking on the telephone than face-to-face.



1. Vocabulary in Context

Write the appropriate word from each group of words in the numbered blanks in the reading.

1. reconstruct, reject, release 11. adjust, amend, differentiate

2. emphasizes, enables, enhances 12. albeit, despite, thereby

3. policy, process, promotion 13. conclusions, errors, transformations

4. highlights, involves, reinforces 14. challenges, guidelines, scenarios

5. complex, crucial, explicit 15. analyzing, enforcing, sustaining

6. decades, fluctuations, layers 16. exposures, features, incentives

7. accuracy, controversy, discrimination 17. allocate, identify, substitute

8. factor, mode, priority 18. dynamic, individual, virtual

9. external, physical, practical 19. confer, detect, undergo 10. furthermore, nevertheless, thereby 20. somewhat, via, whereby


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