11:10 Gulf News: We must give up some of our privacy in order to be more secure.
11:11 Lourdes Devierte: We are now in the world of social networking, where we signed up to keep our private lives public the moment we agreed to the terms and conditions. Therefore, we’ll just have to be careful when sending personal information such as bank details. Otherwise, do not use internet and social media.
11:17 Eisa Al Marzouqi: I believe that this is both good and bad. It’s good because it keeps us secure from those that plan revolts as they will be under surveillance. However, it’s bad because you know that you are being monitored and as a result, you can’t have any privacy, knowing that someone out there is reading or seeing what you’re doing.
11:17 Samina Kausar: Not at all. I think that to be more secure, there is a need to make the tools and techniques stronger and competent enough, rather than asking people to give up their privacy. Officials should seek new advancements and then apply security standards so that no one can breach personal data and everyone can be secure without compromising on their privacy. The use of strict rules and legislations can also help in being more secure. If officials asking to give up some of our privacy is a solution, then how many times are people going to be forced to compromise on their privacy? In return, if we disclose more details to organisations, then the issue of threats will increase. This means that the more privacy we give up, the more of a challenge it will be to keep secure.
11:21 Eisa Al Marzouqi: What is more important - privacy or your safety? I believe that privacy is something that isn’t as important as what the authorities are seeking. The safety of yourself and your family is far more important.
11:23 Lourdes Devierte: We cannot control the internet or telecommunication channels, so this is something we will have to get used to and live by.
11:24 Samina Kausar: Somehow, we are also guilty of security threats, because we are making our private lives public by disclosing our data on social networking sites.
11:25 Gulf News: If you have nothing to hide, then you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.
11:27 Samina Kausar: I personally find this statement very diplomatic. I do not think that it’s a matter of hiding, rather about yourself and whether or not you want to share your details with others. If I want to share details with anyone, I can, but if I do not want to, then it is unfair to say that I have something to hide.
11:29 Lourdes Devierte: I agree. You shouldn’t worry about information you send out, if you’ve got nothing to hide. The ongoing news about the NSA merely focussed on foreign intelligence targets and not about simple individuals like us.
11:29 Eisa Al Marzouqi: I agree, Samina. Some people think that just because you didn’t share it with them, you were hiding something. However, there is a fine line between not sharing and not wanting to share. It is important to differentiate between the two as it can cause major issues.
11:36 Samina Kausar: Every invention that brings ease can also be a problem if used incorrectly. People save their personal details on their phones so that they can easily recall them when in need. However, nowadays, that has become a matter of safety and security. In the era of advanced technology, even the use of high-tech gadgets cannot assure you the safety of your data. The more use make use of technology, the less secure you’ll be.
11:37 Eisa Al Marzouqi: I do not think that authorities should limit protection as, at the end of the day, there are people who may not want the authorities to have their details, but they need them most when they need to be safe from criminals. For example, a hacker might hack into your bank and steal all your money. So you turn to the authorities for help and to be safe — yet you don’t want them to have your details?
11:38 Lourdes Devierte: I agree. We need to be careful with saving and sending personal details, whether on phone, e-mail, or our computers. Software programs and other apps are the ones that can introduce viruses and spam content, which in turn can be used to hack anything. Therefore, I would suggest storing details the classic way, such as on a disc, memory card or notebook.
11:39 Gulf News: Organisations must respect an individual’s need for privacy against societal concerns.
11:39 Samina Kausar: I agree. Organisations only have access to our professional data and when you trust organisations with your privacy then it is their responsibility to protect that data. I think it’s a two-way handshake. If organisations won’t respect the individual’s privacy, then no one is going to trust any organisation with their details in the future.
11:41 Eisa Al Marzouqi: Every individual should be protected as these people represent the society or the other way around. For instance, I would expect to be protected by my country, as I represent UAE.
11:42 Samina Kausar: Authorities must enforce strict laws and legislation in order to protect us. Once safety is assured, no one will hesitate to share their details with the organisation.
11:42 Lourdes Devierte: I agree, as most social networking sites are on the verge of protecting individual privacy, therefore, we will just have to carefully check and tick what goes public versus private.
11:46 Eisa Al Marzouqi: The authorities are there for our security and in order for them to protect us, they need a few details from us — it’s as simple as that. If we refuse to cooperate with them, then it’s difficult for them to assure our safety and security.
11:47 Samina Kausar: Privacy is everyone’s basic right. It is the individual’s choice to disclose details with the organisations or to maintain their privacy. When we are on the internet, the online service provider’s responsibility is doubled in order to assure the protection of our personal data.
11:50 Lourdes Devierte: We shouldn’t worry if we have nothing to hide. The NSA database and authorities around the world are more focused on selective intelligence targets. The best way is to enjoy sharing anything that can become ideal and inspirational to others on social networking sites as long as you don’t disrespect anyone. We need to think twice when saving, sending or sharing any personal details.
11:53 Samina Kausar: Asking for details and spying without the person’s knowledge are two different things. If organisations are asking for data, then it’s their responsibility to assure the protection measures.
“Privacy is everyone’s right and shouldn’t be used against us. I appreciate that authorities have our safety as top priority, but I still think that there should be limits as to how far they can go. At the same time, we need to feel comfortable enough to say or do what we feel like without being hesitant as to whether or not our actions can be misinterpreted. But at the end of the day, if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.”
By Leila Palsson
Dubai
— Compiled by Donia Jenabzadeh/Community Web Editor
