Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home IT Management
    • IT Management

    Staying Nameless on the Net

    By
    Sebastian Rupley
    -
    May 5, 2003
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Judging from recent legal events and recent survey data, protecting your online anonymity could be getting a lot tougher. From identity theft to cyber-stalking to new rules for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) about disclosing the names of their users, staying anonymous in cyberspace is becoming a tricky business.

      “Identity theft is increasing,” says Parry Aftab, executive director and a cyberspace lawyer for Wired Safety, which recently did a study on online safety and anonymity. “And because more people are cyber-dating, they become victims of cyber-stalking.”

      Aftab cautions that online users shouldnt share passwords or personal information online. Even that, though, wont do much about growing legal support for bars to online anonymity, she says, pointing to a January decision in favor of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In the ruling, a federal judge ordered Verizon Communications to disclose the identity of an alleged peer-to-peer music file swapper—a case that the RIAA characterized as being about “the illegal distribution of music on the Internet.”

      The ruling is dangerous, according to Aftab. “It was supposedly about music piracy, but the result of the case is that anyone can obtain personal information about any Internet user by simply filling out a one-page form and submitting it to a court clerk.” Internet Service Providers would be forced to reveal identities in this fashion, Aftab says. Many privacy and anonymity issues, she maintains, hinge on whether Verizon can win the case on appeal.

      Meanwhile, some US states are tackling online anonymity issues on their own. A bill called the Internet Communications Protection Act is currently in the California state legislature. It seeks to protect the anonymity of online users by requiring Internet Service Providers to send a user an immediate alert if there is a subpoena issued in pursuit of that persons identity. Virginia has a similar law. Noncompliance with the California legislation could result in lawsuits from online users who wish to stay nameless.

      The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which has policed online anonymity issues for years, is one of the backers of the California legislation. “Assembly Bill 1143 would require that ISPs notify a consumer of any request to divulge the consumers identity when that consumers personally identifying information is sought in a civil suit,” says a statement from EFF. “People speaking online have a wide variety of reasons for remaining anonymous, ranging from inappropriate or untimely disclosure of a medical condition, sexual orientation, or gender identity to the potential for retaliatory job loss, harassment, or violence.”

      Sebastian Rupley

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×