Privacy and New Media

The issue of Privacy has been a hot topic nowadays especially when it comes to New Media. The premise is that, as we become more connected to new media technologies, we lose more and more of our privacy. When you sign up for a social network, use an online navigation system, or even simply browse the internet, your information is being recorded into huge databases. There is a split in opinion when it comes to this information being recorded. Some people could careless while others are extremely concerned about what type of information is available about them online.

My personal opinion on this is that people need to become more educated about what they are doing online. Before you put in your personal information because you want to use the next hot new app, do a little research into what that company will be doing with your information. Also, i encourage everyone to engage in some form of online reputation management. For me, it is usually as simple as typing my name into Google and seeing what comes up about me. If i am displeased about what information is being displayed about me, usually in a blog or personal site, i can edit the privacy settings myself. If there is a company offering to sell information about me, they often have support lines where you can opt out of their database. 

On a final note, my advice would be to think critically about what you are doing on the internet. If you don't want people to know where you've been use incognito or privacy windows in your browser. If you don't want your personal information on Facebook or Twitter open to the public, invest some time into learning about the wide array of privacy features they have available.