Privacy Case

Privacy

Abstract

Privacy. In the past the word privacy was something much simpler than it is today. Privacy meant that information about one's self was only shared with their permission and was usually in done verbally or in written documents, such as medical records. In today's society, privacy is a little more complicated due to technology. Our information is stored in various databases that are connected to the Internet and how it is used or shared varies dependent upon the organization that maintains them. This paper will answer various questions regarding privacy issues.

Privacy Questions

1. The Code of Fair Information Practices applies only to government databases. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of extending the Code of Fair Information Practices to private databases managed by corporations.

Advantages

By extending the Code of Fair Information Practices to private databases that are managed by corporations it will eliminate the loophole of government agencies purchasing information from the private organizations which houses much more information than government databases. With private corporations being held to guidelines of the Code of Information Practices, there will be a large decrease in the information being held in the databases as well as being regulated by the individual's preference on what information on them can be used or made available as well as being able to access and update such information. As it stands right now information that is held in private corporation databases are not completely accurate and by extending these guidelines into private corporations will ensure that the information is accurate and secure. Corporations would have to steps in ensuring that the data collected is accurate by cross-referencing data with multiple sources while providing the individual access to the data. To ensure the information is secure, they would have to protect against unauthorized access, destruction, use, or disclosure of information by way of passwords and encryption (FTC, 2007).

Disadvantages

Like the government, private corporations would have the ability to exempt any database they choose for their own personal agenda, such as hiding or excluding certain information because there is no one in charge of enforcing the provisions of the code. Currently agencies are able to share records amongst another as long as they are for "routine use"; however the term "routine use" can be defined by each corporation. Extending the Code of Fair Information Practices can cause misunderstanding of the term "routine use" because