Privacy and the Internet

I believe the issue of privacy and the internet is a bigger deal now than it was years ago. People are constantly finding ways to interfere with private accounts whether it is to steal information, transfer viruses, etc. Things such as these viruses and malware have always been a dilemma, but now I believe the bigger conflict is going towards defrauding and phishing. Since it is easier than ever now to make online money transactions such as bank account  transferring and shopping, scammers are taking advantage.  One may think their computers are protected and their information is completely private, but people are always finding ways to steal social security numbers, bank account information, etc. Even from a less detrimental aspect, our privacy online is being invaded. Each website one visits is directly correlated to certain ads, aimed at targeting what one searches for. In The Web’s New Gold Mine: Your Secrets, it states: “ The code knows that her favorite movies include "The Princess Bride," "50 First Dates" and "10 Things I Hate About You." It knows she enjoys the "Sex and the City" series. It knows she browses entertainment news and likes to take quizzes.” It is as if every time someone is online a personal profile is developed for each user, and from there, ad campaigns target the user according to this information. On social media sites such as Facebook, anyone can access the user’s profile and be exposed to content such as pictures, even if that individual is not  one’s friend on it. In Facebook Privacy Is So Confusing Even the Zuckerberg Family Photo Isn't Private, the question is posed: “Wait, so if it was private, how did a stranger get access to the Zuckerberg family photo in the first place? And if Facebook's privacy settings are too confusing for a Zuckerberg, how are the rest of us ever supposed to post anything that's truly, completely private?” This gives sense that once one uploads photos, statutes, and content that is more personal, it is like an open database where anyone can access it. This is why internet privacy seems to be a bigger issue now than ever before.