In 2010, Facebook first introduced its tool called “Download Your Information”. From that time on, users benefitted from it to retrieve all their videos and photos, wall posts, sent and received messages, and about 5 other categories of information that they shared. This tool allowed users to have a back up of what they have uploaded to the social networking site by downloading the data as a .zip file.

The ongoing issues about the company’s access to private information and its advertising services prompted critics to say that Facebook should provide more. This means that it should let users know what other information that it collected and stored about them in its file. This will enable users to be aware of how much data they have shared, in order for them to have better control over it. Read Full Article

It is expected that by the end of 2012, consumers will benefit from newer, but tighter, online privacy rules. This optimistic view is based on current, positive responses by companies to implement the final recommendations that were benchmarked as best practices in privacy protection. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is certain that by backing tighter online privacy laws, consumers’ data will be used for the best intentions. Consumers can enjoy new services, yet they do not have to sacrifice their privacy.

Recent developments show that companies are participating to include privacy into every venture that they have. Emphasis is given on how people’s data is kept safe and to manage how much is collected. Consumers are being empowered by giving them the option to decide what information about them is being shared. In order to make this possible, a “Do Not Track” mechanism that consumers can use to control the tracking of their activities is needed. Read Full Article

Internet companies depend mainly on advertisements for revenue. It is an accepted fact that without the advertisements, no company could ever thrive on its own. Online advertising is a billion-dollar industry that fuels the internet. It is estimated that 96 percent of Google’s and 85 percent of Facebook’s revenues are generated by this powerful marketing tool.

Today, the government is keeping a close eye on advertising companies because of privacy issues. Online advertisers are being scrutinized because of the government’s efforts to give internet users better control over their personal data. This industry now operates under self-regulation, and this is the policy that most companies endorse. This means that each advertising company would maintain its own limits as to the collection and use of consumers’ personal data. Read Full Article

Will users ever realize the price they pay with their privacy when they give away personal information so easily? It is odd, but it seems that many users are willing to give up privacy in exchange for a few cents that is not worth the cost of a candy bar. Research results indicate that users put more value on saving a few cents than protecting their personal information. At this point, it also seems that only companies have figured out how valuable personal information is.

It is estimated that the worth of personal information gathered by Facebook is about $100 billion. This includes the chatting, browsing and buying habits of millions of Facebook users. These were deliberately uploaded by users who, by now, should have realized that they never actually did the uploading. Analysts say that nowadays, personal data is being traded among service providers just like other commodities. Users have given up their data for “free”, but service providers can make thousands of dollars out of it. Read Full Article

The founders of the new, real-time location sharing service, Glassmap, have made it clear how the company feels about issues on privacy. As new technology is introduced, many online users become more involved with software services and applications. There are even those who say their day feels “incomplete” if they cannot share pictures, post comments, or add friends. It is observed that there is a strong force that links users to a certain software service or application.

Critics have cited that Glassmap has violated user privacy. Such unfavorable reaction was triggered by its “Post to Facebook” option in its registration process. Checking this option means that an invitation to join Glassmap would show in the user’s Facebook Timeline. According to critics, this exposes users to more privacy risks, although they might be benefited from it. Glassmap decided to eliminate this feature after Facebook instructed the company to do so. Read Full Article

The proposed “Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights” by the White House is still hanging. Despite the urgency of the need to provide better online protection, discussions and debates still persist. There are lots of children on the internet who share information that could be used and turned against them. This was the concern that music and TV personality Nick Cannon brought out during his appearance on Capitol Hill.

Cannon endorsed a Do Not Track Kids Act that aims at increasing online privacy for children. This contains provisions that would limit the ability of websites, advertising agencies and cellular providers to use the personal information of children. They would no longer be allowed to use targeted ads for children and would be prohibited from tracking minors. The proposed act is an amendment to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998.

There is easy access to online devices such as smartphones and other gadgets that store information on young consumers. Without parental knowledge or consent, these children become vulnerable to those who are capable of taking advantage of them. They can be easily tracked on the internet and their whereabouts can be monitored without difficulty. Read Full Article

People are beginning to understand that the so-called “Do Not Track” actually means differently to two different groups. Companies have this narrow interpretation that it only applies to targeted ads. Consumers see it as to be totally free from being “followed” in whatever they do online. These two disjointed beliefs about the “Do Not Track” range are still on the battlefield of ideas. Internet companies uphold their original notion that consumers do not really know what they would lose if their tracking would be completely stopped.

Recently, Google and online advertisers have announced their support of such technology. However, they made it clear that it was only for targeted advertisements. A lot of people expected something that is wider in scope and they are not really happy. Needless to say, Google will still collect consumer data and sell it for specific purposes.

So much talk on the issue about tracking and its implications on privacy have been around for a long time. There was one privacy analyst and attorney who said that it is really about “do not target”. To use the term “do not track” denotes the idea of a total ban on consumer data gathering and use. For countless times, companies assert that the internet depends a great deal on advertising. The idea of a total ban would prevent consumers from getting better online experiences through data tracking. Read Full Article

The Obama administration’s privacy plan has put the White House at the center of a controversy. It is getting the attention of a wide sector of society. Debates over online privacy have once again heated up after the announcement of the plan last week.

The said proposal calls on different bodies that are related to online activities to work as one. It hopes to gather together those internet companies, law enforcement agencies, privacy groups, and state attorneys general. Forgetting their individual objectives, they are encouraged to pool their resources and to collaborate. All of them are expected to come up with voluntary standards that would defend consumer data to the highest degree.

Despite its good intentions, the Obama privacy plan is met with apprehensions that it could threaten the internet. The side of privacy advocates hopes the best for its full implementation. If approved, the United States will soon have a privacy law. It is a kind of law that supports improvement and gives more user protection. Read Full Article

A number of studies and surveys on privacy concerns among social network users are being conducted by different entities. These surveys are aimed at getting a cross-section of how users view, or feel about, their social networking activities. One of these research bodies is the Pew Internet & American Life Project. It reported that users of social networking sites are becoming more selective when accepting a friend. They are also taking more time to examine the contents that are being displayed on their pages.

Pew said in its report that two out of three of all internet users are hooked on social networking. In 2009, there was an increase in the number of individuals who have deleted “friends” from their lists. There were more women than men who did so, while more young people than older people tend to do this. These were some of the findings that the study gathered in a span of one year.

A representative of the Associated Press said that users tend to be more conscious about comments posted by other people. This is supported by an increase in the number of users who deleted comments on their profiles. Another proof comes from Pew, saying that a large number of users said that they “untagged” themselves from photos. This tendency shows that they do not want themselves to be exposed on other people’s pages. Read Full Article

Google’s new privacy policy  will go into effect as of March 1, 2012.  The new policy will be the same for all Google products and services and affects all the information Google has stored for your accounts.  It also includes any information that will be gathered from March 1^st forward.

To date, all of your searches and records of every site you visit stayed in your Google Web History.  This Web History was kept separate from all other areas of Google.  Everything will now be combined with the new privacy policy.  If you want to keep your personal life private, you want to be sure to clear your Web History.  If you don’t do this, your searches could tell everyone things like your hometown, age, health issues, sexual orientation and so much more.

The only way to stop Google from merging your Web History with your Google + or YouTube usage, you need to delete all searches in your Web History.  You also must stop any future activity from showing up on your Web History.

You can do this by following these simple steps:

Start by signing in to your Google account.

After that, go to https://www.google.com/history

Next, click on the “Remove all Web History” button.

Now, all you need to do is click on “OK”.

Take note that not only are you removing information from your Web History, but you are also pausing it.  The Web History will remain paused until you physically enable it again.

If your Web History is active, Google will keep all the information in it for an indefinite amount of time.  However, when you pause the Web History, most of your information will be cleared within 18 months.  Further, when the Web History is disabled, the search results that are customized for you will no longer appear.  The Electronic Frontier Foundation (or EFF) has a guide entitled Six Tips to Protect Your Search Privacy that offers suggestions on how to reduce the amount of information Google stores on you.

Most people have more than one Google account, so you must remember to follow the above steps for each one.  Two other things you need to remember are:   1.  Removing and disabling your Web History will not stop Google from storing your information for their internal use, and, 2.  If a law enforcement agency requests any information, Google will supply it to them.