The Privacy Act

According to Webster's Dictionary, Privacy is "The quality of being secluded from the presence or view of others" (http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org. While I completely understand this definition, I believe times have changed when it comes to privacy and what people make of it. Firstly, I think it is important to know that there is no such thing as privacy on the internet. Anyone can pull up anything that you have ever had on the internet with the simple use of a computer program. When I put things online, I first think if the things could possibly be detrimental to my future. For example, I do not place pictures on facebook that displays alcohol or any other thing that is supposed to take place behind closed doors.

Many people do not understand the concept of privacy. If they did, they would not have naked pictures online or even have profanity on their profiles. While some thing may seem small at the time, they could actually be a big deal when your future employer is doing research on you. Most people, especially my generation, believe that just because social websites have privacy settings that no one else can see what they are doing or saying. This is completely false.

I had a conversation with my mother about how times have changed when it comes to privacy. She was sure to explain that when she was my age, there was no such thing as facebook or twitter so it was a lot harder to not receive something based on what you were doing on the computer. She also said that the current generation is a lot more open about things that her generation is not. For example, we are not afraid about sex or to even expose ourselves to complete strangers. My mother believes this could have something to do with the esteem of young women in today's time. She thinks that the current generation need to be complimented in order to feel wanted and in the pass, if that was an issue, it was not talking about or even exposed.

This goes to show that there has been a change in how privacy is cherished within the past couple generations. Most of this could have to do with the increase in new technology.