Big Brother and google

So the U.S. Justice Department wants to solicit the searches of Googles users?!?! This subpoena will call into question what privacy rights, if any, you have while online. Likely Google will fight the Justice Department's request, and we will see a ruling from a Federal Court, who knows, maybe even from the Supreme Court! (Kind of makes you glad you "closely followed" those Supreme Court confirmation hearings, ha!)

I guess what the courts will have to decide is whether surfing the web is equivalent to walking down the street (where your right to privacy is severely diminished), or better yet, does monitoring Google fall under the authority of the Patriot Act, which had a provision for monitoring library selections. The counter argument is, of course, that a person expects a right to privacy in the comfort of their own home, that in order for the government to encroach onto their right to privacy, it must first get a search warrant from a Federal Judge. The fact remains that the search warrant gives the government the right to search your house, not your neighbors or friend's houses. So should Google just require that the government obtain a search warrant for every single person who has used the popular search engine before they turn over their files?

What about the international implications? American citizens are not the only ones who use the Google search engine. Does the U.S. Department of Justice have the authority to monitor search queries of foreign citizens, or does that fall under the guise of the CIA?

The questions are almost endless, but necessary. When do you relinquish your right to privacy? Obviously, since the courts have ruled that traffic cameras at intersections are legal since a person in public does not have the same right to privacy as they would if they were in their home (of course the questions of privacy in these cases dealt with phone calls, and being video taped), but the fact remains that within the confines of your home, you expect a reasonable amount of privacy, and even though the internet is a public access tool, privacy rights should remain front and center.


The article can be viewed online at the following link: http://www.ajc.com/thursday/content/epaper/editions/thursday/opinion_348dc63dc381020b000e.html

Electronic Medicine?!?!

Does anybody else find the idea and implementation of electronic medical records somewhat disturbing? Privacy rights were only briefly mentioned in the last two paragraphs of the article. However, this seems, at least to me, to be the bigger issue here. Assuming the adoption rate of electronic records increases, won't doctors and health providers need to keep back-up files in the event of a system failure? Of course back-up records would need to be kept. But who would be responsible for keeping them? If back-up files were on the home computer of each doctor, wouldn't your medical information security be only as good as the home alarm system of your doctor, leaving your ssn and financial information vulnerable to a home invader? Perhaps the solution is not to store these files at the homes of physicians, but rather at some facility off-site of the care center? The question then becomes how do you transfer that information to the facility? If the records are sent via the internet, then they are vulnerable to hackers. If the responsibility is left to a courier (since your physician wouldn't dare waste valuable time lugging files) then what of doctor-patient confidentiality? And wouldn't the off-site facility want to keep back-ups as a precautionary tactic? Someone, however, will come up with the ingenious solution, that the safest way to back-up an electronic file is with a paper one. The true question is one that is more of a gamble. Which is more important to each individual, to save $40 at a doctor's visit (likely only a two or three time a year occurrence), or would you prefer that your identity and financial information be just a little more secure from those who would do you ill?


The article, "Doctors Edge Toward Electronic Records" can be seen at the following link:

http://www.ajc.com/tuesday/content/epaper/editions/tuesday/business_34ccd7b0e00e61da0048.html

Brian's First Post

This is in fact the first time I have ever posted a blog online. Since someone may be required to read and discuss this blog in class I will tell you a little about myself. Obviously I am a student here at UGA, but more pertinent (and even perhaps more interestingly) I have been invovled, in some form or fashion, with technology, specifically technical production for live events, since my freshman year of high school. After "learning the ropes" at my high school, I was given a job in the Tech Services department at the Gwinnett Center and Arena. I have had this job since 2001, and continue to work there in order to view, and participate in, various aspects of live entertainment production. I have had experience with sound and lighting production, as well as video production for live sporting events. I am currently working both for the Gwinnett Center, and for a production company I am running out of my home. However, my production company is currently in the beginning stage of development. The current form is mainly a dj company, but my hope is to expand into an area of post-video prodcution and corporate a/v work. I am planning to use my time in the NMI courses to expand my knowledge of more practicle aspects of technology, and in order to meet people with similar goals in life. Hopefully this has been an enjoyable read, as well as giving a little insight into me.