Dear eCitizens,

This is about privacy. It doesn't get any less important online. Arguably it becomes even more important.


Some people (I included) believe that once anything of value is released online, it's there forever. Files, photos, phone numbers, anything. The internet has shrunk the world to a manageable level. Unlike any other point in the history of the world has someone been able to connect themselves globally practically instantly. Once something gets out somebody can save it / share it  / replicate it. Once something gets out it belongs to the online world.


So how do we get these things back? How do we round up information we've accidentally released into cyberspace? The answer is simple: we can't. Despite the stories you hear of people with cash (celebrities come to mind) getting their sensitive content (like nude photos)  offline and gone forever, it's a fairy tale to appease the posh. Those files are still out there somewhere and they can be shared and spread all around the world again.


The only way we can really stop people from spreading our private information around is by not letting it out in the first place. To prevent an outbreak you have to get to the source, and we are each our own focal point. It's true that sometimes information is stolen, and that is out of our control. However, the majority of sensitive information lost and sold is given with our own consent.



Read terms before you agree. If you find the terms are confusedly written, rally with others of like mind and petition for simpler terms. If you find a violation of privacy in a contract, rally with those who agree and fight for your information. It takes the conscious effort of individuals bringing the fruits of their separate labors together to keep the system fair and just. There will always be those looking to rob us of what's rightfully ours, but we don't have to keep making it so easy for them.