Describe  how  and  in  what  ways  ‘violation  of  privacy’  occurs  in  and  through

Computers.

Computers make  more  information  available  to  more  people.  This makes  protection  of computer privacy difficult.

1. Inappropriate Access:

• Documents recorded for a crime which one did not commit but was arrested.

• As a child you were arrested for drinking alcohol

• Medical data about visits to a psychiatrist.

• A loan default to a National Bank.

Any of the above information can be accessed by, let us say, a prospective employer during a security check.

2. Data Bank Errors:

• Even erroneous information when generated by computers is taken to be authenticated.

• Immediate reaction to such wrong information may mostly prove to be incorrect.

3. Hackers:

• ‘Hackers’ are people who compulsively challenge any computer security system, choke networks, give out false information, etc.

• This can be extremely harmful.

• It is a violation of property rights.

• At the least, it reduces productivity by shutting down systems.

• Individual privacy, national security, freedom to protect proprietary information are three values requiring limits on access to information.