Is Privacy Possible?



Assuming the option of privacy is desirable we should ask; is it possible?

A quick Google search will reveal plenty of articles on this topic (and a library search many academic ones) but for a short and readable one see Can You Erase Yourself from the Internet? (courtesy of PC Pro).

This is an especially topical subject given the news today of new developments in on-line tracking and data mining. See for example this Guardian article about Ratheon's RIOT program or view the video (above).



As a Criminology student you should be aware that much of the debate around these systems is centered around their potential impact on civil liberties and personal privacy versus law enforcement and counter-terrorism arguments. You might like to think about these systems, and their potential for contributing to the effectiveness of the Criminal Justice System or at least how it might impact upon patterns of criminal behaviour. A starting point be a consideration of the potential benefits and losses (as measured against a set of criteria) in order to determine if society would gain a net benefit from the use of such systems.

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