Privacy: Myth or Reality

It is widely believed that the internet is a place away from prying eyes, safe and sound. After thinking and wondering for a lot of time, one can draw the conclusion that despite all the agreements, assurances and anonymity tools, privacy is just a concept, a myth and not a reality. Almost all of the websites we visit have small embedded elements called cookies. Cookies record your data, your preferences and also the other websites you visit. In opposition to the so-called ‘privacy’, we have numerous elements such as digital footprints, fingerprints and house-holding. These terms leave us gaping at the fact whether privacy is a myth or reality in this digital world. In such circumstances users only have one reliable and plausible option: Virtual Private Network, or VPN. In the previous year, the Pegasus spyware added heat to the debate when it was revealed that it had been used for surveillance on politicians, journalists and activists.

We must not ignore the fact that the common man is at threat. We subscribe to the email lists of multiple websites for updates or reasons in our favour. The email cannot be said to be a safe place. Every mobile phone can be tracked with the help of GPS. Your Internet Service Provider can always see your search history. Have you ever wondered how the product you were searching for on an e-commerce website popped up in the form of an advertisement on your Instagram, Facebook or YouTube? It’s a thing to ponder upon. One must not forget that third party organizations do exist which have access to our personal information which can be gained easily when one uses the Internet. The Apex Court rules that privacy is a right. Does that hold true anymore? The world believes the fallacy that privacy exists in reality. It does not, it is a myth. You will be tracked everywhere and anywhere until you are with your devices and with the internet.

‘Privacy is a myth, just like democracy...’

By - Radhesh Shah,

9A -(ICSE )

Wisdom High Group of Schools

(Rameshwar Nagar)