Should people care more about privacy on the internet?

The internet brings use great websites, which allows us to find out new information, socialize with others, play games, email etc. But people are starting to become more and more concenrned about how much personal information they're giving away in exchange for internet use. I believe people should care a lot more about privacy on the internet, once something has been done on the internet it'll always be there. Even if it's been deleted. A perfect example of this is the Amanda Todd case. Amanda Todd suffered from cyber bullying becuase of one simple mistake.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_of_Amanda_Todd

If she cared more about her privacy, then her situation wouldn't have happened.

Social networking sites are a major reason why peoples privacy gets exposed to the public. Once you post something online it can be seen by everyone. And chances are it'll still be there for years. More and more internet hackers are starting to find out more personal information about the users today, for example bank details, addresses, telephone numbers etc. These internet hackers cleverly trick the user into transferring their bank details. A modern example of this would be a new virus they've created to trick the user called 'Man in the Browser', this system tricks the user into trying out a new upgraded security system. If the customer agrees to this, the malicious software works by altering what is seen and allows a hacker to change the details fo what is being entered, giving them the potential to raid someone's bank account. The malware lives in a web browser and is only activated when visiting certain sites.

Another major case of internet privacy is the fact that we could be talking to anyone, or anyone can read your information. A well known website called Chat roulette means you could be talking to anyone. On this website you get a wide range of theats, firstly sexual predators, pornography. But you can also meet random people who aren't threats. Social networking sites have started to introduce new privacy policies, for example Facebook now gives the option of protecting your details, or hiding your profile on the main search system. This prevents random people finding you and adding you. 

Advertising companies start to use cookies on the computer to show what they think you want to see. This is also a breach of peoples privacy, because it'll basically show your internet history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_privacy

Below is an article written by Spencer Kelly from the BBC about online bank hacking

Criminal hackers have found a way round the latest generation of online banking security devices given out by banks, the BBC has learned. After logging in to the bank's real site, account holders are being tricked by the offer of training in a new "upgraded security system". Money is then moved out of the account but this is hidden from the user. Experts say customers should follow banks' official advice, use up-to-date anti-virus software and be vigilant. Devices like PINSentry from Barclays and SecureKey from HSBC - which look a lot like calculators - ask users to insert a card or a code to create a unique key at each login, valid for around 30 seconds, that cannot be used again. This brought a new level of online banking security against password theft. The additional line of defence provided security even if a user's computer along with any password information was hacked, and they still offer the best level of protection available against online banking fraud. While these chip and pin devices make the hackers' job more difficult, the hackers themselves have raised their game. A test witnessed as part of a BBC Click investigation suggests even those with up-to-date anti-virus software could be at risk. There is no specific risk to any one individual bank. 'Man in the Browser' attack In the test the majority of web security software on standard settings did not spot that a previously unseen piece of malware created in the software testing lab was behaving suspiciously.The threat does not strike until the user visits particular websites. Called a Man in the Browser (MitB) attack, the malware lives in the web browser and can get between the user and the website, altering what is seen and changing details of what is being entered. Some versions of the MitB will change payment details and amounts and also change on-screen balances to hide its activities. With the additional security devices, the risk of fraud is only present for one transaction, and only if the customer falls for the "training exercise". "The man in the browser attack is a very focused, very specific, advanced threat, specifically focused against banking," said Daniel Brett, of malware testing lab S21sec. "[Although] many products won't pick this up, they've got a much bigger scope, they're having to defend against all the viruses since the beginning of time." Every time a new update to the malware is released, it takes the security companies a number of weeks to learn how to spot it - to learn its common features. But one security company did privately concede that, if this threat had come from a source not known to be bad and started communicating with a web address also not on the black-list of "bad" sites - until they had discovered and analysed it - it probably would have beaten their protection. Fraud detection software

Makers of many of the security products featured in tests argued that it was not valid as it only tested one part of their protection. They point out that they continually search for and blacklist websites, emails, and other sources of malware. Mark Bowerman, of Financial Fraud Action UK, said: "Banks also employ what's called back-end security and that's what's happening behind the scenes to protect you from online banking fraud  "We've got intelligent fraud detection software, and it's used to seeing how you operate your online bank account. "Any deviations from the norm and the software is going to pick it up - that may be the type of transaction you've made or the amount." Most computer security products will block this kind of threat if their security settings are turned up to maximum but will also block many legitimate programs too.
Online banking fraud losses totalled £16.9 million in the first six months of 2011, according to Financial Fraud Action UK. In the UK, banks usually refund victims of online fraud as a matter of course.
Banks and experts say customers must continue using online security anti-virus products.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16812064