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Home -> Why Privacy? -> Individual

Individual

Privacy is a complex issue.
Each of us have different areas where we do not like prying eyes. We have both a need and a right to retain our Privacy. A right that is increasingly eliminited as technology infrastructure, commercial profiling, anti-fraud etc. makes it impossible.

The pressure on our privacy is increasing and we do respond.
Privacy concernes are an abstract that we often are not concious of is influencing our behavior. We do not leave our email-address as easy as we did before as we know it gets filled with spam as soon as it gets in the hands of any listseller. We use email forward addresses but they are troublesome to handle in reality. We prefer not to leave identifying information just because .. We hear of Echelon and Carnivore. We see the surveillance cameras. It is ok with protection, but I did not do anything !

We know that every commercial player we cross on our roads wants to get an oppourtunity to call, email or other way to sell. They want our contact information and more and more details for profiling. Most companies just wants to provide better Service - but it is getting to be too much. Just let me look and surf in peace - Dont call me, I will call you.

Our personal information is entering an increasing number of public and private databases and we have no control over how it is used, combined and re-used out of context.. Hackers, internal mistakes, the strong incentive to go for the short money etc. When everything is linked in one network risks are multiplied. A Privacy Policy is a promise and most companies would never abuse our Privacy - but my Privacy is still controlled by the database and that is the problem.

Sound familiar? If so - you are not alone. A clear majority of individuals say the same.

Wellcome to the No Privacy Future.
The problem is that it is getting worse - not better. As all sorts of devices are connected to internet we enter what we call Pervasive computing where we are always connected one way or the other. At the same time our digital signature are turned into our new Globally Unique identifiation number meaning we are always identified.

Why should we accept it? - It is neither acceptable nor necesary ! Everyone would gain from real privacy solutions.

Making Privacy the default in the networked economy
... because there is no alternative to freedom

We dislike spam but if you want to we offer to send notifications of new Privacy Services as they are released (Click here for one-time only notifications of new services).

A few links to take different perspectives on the privacy issue:
PrivacyTown - Consumer Affairs in Canada has provided a nice service getting well around different perspectives!
EPIC - an organisation working with privacy from many aspects
Privacy International - is trying to demonstrate the problems through actual cases.