Privacy is an illusion

Privacy is an illusion -

Robert Siciliano is a NextAdvisor.com Expert Guest Blogger

A CEO of a large software company says: "You have zero privacy, get over it. "In response, states the FTC," millions of American consumers say that privacy is a serious concern for them when they think about shopping online. "

Do you agree? Privacy is dead? Do you share your" status "on Facebook? Twitter? Do you have a MySpace page? A blog? Did you post your family photos on all of the above, or Flicker

the statement: "You have zero privacy, get over it," was made by Scott McNealy, former CEO of Sun Microsystems in 1999. that was 10 years ago. Before the term "social network" or the word "blog" entered our vocabulary.

Here we are in 2009, when this statement is 100 times more true than it was 10 years. When you ask people if they are concerned about online privacy, they respond with a big "YES!" Then, they use their pages hypocritically, strong, angry Facebook to inform the world they are about to go on vacation. This means that the lights are off and nobody's home.

it is not only the surfers voluntarily giving up their privacy, it is as companies and government agencies to collect data as a form of intelligence. These data can be used to sell you something or it could be used to protect us in the form of Homeland Security.

Our personal information can be bought and sold. "Information" brokers sell our data to anyone with a credit card. One of the most important information listed stock brokers in the world is a company called ChoicePoint. The last time I came, they were 19 billion records on file. And one of their biggest customers is the US government.

So even if you do not update your Facebook status to tell the world that you just make a tuna sandwich, chances are, your phone number, your most recent address, or even your anonymous chat handle can be found on Zabasearch.com or iSearch.com. If you have committed a crime, your data may be on CriminalSearches.com Heck, you just Google.

If you are reading this, you are participating in society. The price you compensation is sacraficing your personally identifiable information to get an internet connection, credit, car, medical attention, go to school or buy a pair of shoes. While many citizens cry out against Big Brother and US companies abuse their trust, many also waive any privacy for ten% off a new pair of shoes.

All this makes it very easy for criminal hackers to commit identity theft. They use these data become available to you. Since your data is already there, you'd better invest in identity protection against theft and make sure your PC is updated with the Internet security software.

For more information, I recommend You have zero privacy - Enjoy It Mike Spinny and First Casualty of cyberwar :. Your privacy by Preston Gralla

Robert Siciliano, identity theft expert, discusses the background checks.

Robert Siciliano is CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, an expert on identity theft, professional speaker, security analyst, published author and television news correspondent. Siciliano works with Fortune 1000 and start-up companies as a consultant on product launches, branding, messaging, representation, SEO and media. the thoughts and advice of Siciliano on all these issues often appear in both television and print media news, including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, FOX, Forbes and USA Today. He has 25 years of safety training as a member of the American Society for Industrial Security. He is the author of two books, including The Safety Minute: Living on high alert; How to take control of your personal safety and to prevent fraud . He also established a partnership with Uni-Ball to help raise awareness of the growing threat of identity theft and provide tips on how you can protect yourself.