(Givens) In a recently survey, conducted by Beth Givens, only 6% of users experience this type of abuse. Therefore, it does not necessarily mean that e-mails will have a drastic effect on the privacy of our information. However, it is a problem among people and more should be done in order to protect internet users. In the present, there are solutions that prevent information being disclosed to companies. In Canada, there is the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. This act determines what specific information can be collected and how it is being used. This is useful as it gives a customer control over their information including their own e-mail address. There are also services that prevent junk mail from being sent to their mailbox. (Stoddart) In order for these to work, the government must contribute and enforce its law in order to our privacies to be targeted.
E-commerce was introduced in 1992 and created a new way to purchase products online without the hassle of line ups. However, it also introduced a new way for thieves, to obtain your credit card and personal information easily. Thus, our privacy is yet again invaded since it was badly designed to provide insecure transactions. Companies could track down what users want as they shop, and can offer products in your future purchases. Mary J. Cronin states an example of how it works in a shopping mall a marketing firm in which is unbeknownst to you, has hired someone to follow you around, recording everything you look at .etc As you are about to leave the mall , this person approaches you and offers a discount on future purchases. (7) The same rules apply to e-commerce in which companies depend on computer data that creates a custom profile of each customer. However, not only can companies track your activities, hackers can also penetrate the most secure military and financial facilities. (Stoddart) They can steal personal information and credit card and bank card numbers which would allow them to steal other people's identities when shopping online.
