WELCOME TO THE student’s corner. In this space, we let you sound off on issues we’ve covered in the Fulcrum. This week we ask some questions about cyber safety: Are we protected online? Do we put too much information on the web? Considering the amount of hacking that goes on, it’s a serious issue. Here are some of your answers:
The Fulcrum: Are we safe online? Do we need more cyber safety?
“No, we are not. People are watching us left, right, and centre. The Internet is rapidly changing and to date we have no laws actually governing peoples’ activity. I use the term ‘governing’ loosely. For the most part, the Internet is free game. How can the government control what they don’t know?
We have IP addresses that can quickly bring up our name, country, city, and address. I’ll even creep you out more: Google uses algorithms to tailor your searches.”
—Fowzia Sabtow, 4th year social work and law student at Carleton University
“No, we’re not safe. If we give away even the slightest bit of our private info, we can get robbed, stalked, or impersonated! Plus our pictures are always going to be on the Internet, our emails are probably being read, there is no privacy—it’s an illusion. Big Brother is always watching. They’re probably reading this, too.”
—Mina Rodriguez, 3rd year political science and international relations student at Carleton University
Do you mean child lurking? I don’t think we have to worry about that anymore. And if my banking information, or personal information is compromised—que sera sera. You can’t really protect against those things. Laws can only try to keep up with technology, they can’t really be a step ahead, you know.
—Hoda Yousuf, 4th year communications student at the University of Ottawa
Yes, we should be afraid. We’re not safe. No one is. Just think about the amount of information we willingly post online—is it any wonder we get hacked or catfished? Something should be done, but it’s very difficult. The legal process is a long and drawn out system; by the time we figure out what we need to protect us and how to do so, it’s already too late. That technology the courts spent time trying to understand is outdated. Is there such a thing as being 100 per cent safe online? No, there isn’t.
—Weris Dualeh, 3rd year political science and African studies student at Carleton University
