As online companies such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter routinely gather personal information about users, consumers have begun to ask questions about how such business practices affect their privacy. The range of personal information gathered by online companies knows no bounds; people’s shopping and search habits; medical, financial and employment histories; education records; personal tastes and political views; even the location and movement of individuals, groups and things. All are available to online companies to observe, capture, track or link to.
While Google and other online services claim they are simply trying to create a better online experience for users by targeting advertising to their preferences, consumers have their doubts. Information Studies and Sudikoff Fellow Professor Leah Lievrouw sat down with writer Kathy Wyer for to offer her perspective on the business practices of online companies and the effect on personal privacy.
Click here to see theSudikoff Family Institute for Education & New Media website and to read the full article in UCLA Today.