The evolution of computers is a relatively new idea. Computation and advanced mathematics have played a strong role in their development. The very first computer was invented in the mid-1800s with very basic chemistry and design. As time progressed, computers got more advanced, developing into a huge calculator and progressing from there. Many of the major advances in computer development were around the mid-19th century when countries fighting in either World War needed an advantage over other countries when it came to developing computers. The country with the best computers often had the best access to other countries data or code cracking. Computers solve many of the big problems that we face on a daily basis. In the modern world, many companies and even personal interests cannot be fulfilled or be successful without computers. The range of use is vast, reaching from basic temperature reading in your refrigerator, to the GPS and music that some people have access to in their own cars. Computers will continue to development infinitely, according to Moore's Law, allowing the computer revolution to never reach an end. Computers have come such a far way that developers and idealists have discovered ways to use this technology to their advantage. The issue of privacy concerns or threats is a very recent problem. Even the very best computers twenty years ago were not able to gain access and manipulate other computer systems in the way they can today. As popularity of computers and advancements continue to exponentially increase, many people of the modern world face issues with security breaches or computer threats, which they often do not realize could become potentially dangerous for anyone. Security and privacy issues are problems that most developed countries face on personal levels and even on an international scale.  

We cannot get ahead of ourselves, however. It is unlikely that anyone is going to face a serious problems using a home PC or other personal systems, unless that person is someone of importance. One of the bigger and more developing issues we must address is the growth of social media sites. Social media sites are at the "bottom of the food chain" when discussing privacy issues about computers, but the issue should certainly be address because of its increasing popularity across the world. Chen states that "SNSs (Social Media Sites) provide a myriad of gratifications, such as personal fulfillment, social interaction, and self-presentation" however, sites like this can "generate concerns about privacy risks" (16). Many of the issues are ones that most people fail to see because many of the social media sites cover up privacy risks by making the site "friendly". Chen investigated how "including profile visibility, self-disclosure, and friending are influenced by privacy concerns and efficacy regarding one's own ability to manage privacy settings" (13). People should not condone the use of any social media site, however, everyone using an SNS should be aware of what is being posted on the internet. The issue at hand is not about bad college photos or something you would not want your employers to see, but it is about the personal information such as addresses or phone numbers that people post or update on their profiles online. 

Much bigger issues arise as computer users get smarter about the usage of computers: hackers. Even though some hackers or security researchers are seen as bad, "many are working to fight government corruption and advocate our right" (Hackers). Hackers help the internet and the user by giving the web a "hard time". By doing this, it "push[es] the internet to become stronger and healthier, wielding their power to create a better world" (Hackers). We need hackers as a society to be able to have a robust, or able to take damage, internet so that its users are safe on the network. There are many basic ways to protect your home PC or laptop, however, many people fail to take the basic precautions. One of the biggest issues is not even the person trying to gain access to your information, it is often the user of a computer being thoughtless on the internet and with computer use. Often times, people become oblivious to the solution, even if they know what the issue is. Most problems and threats can be avoided by taking minor precautions, assuming that person is not a person of interest to or a hacker.

We can assume that anything that is currently out on the market, the government has a bigger, better, and faster version that they often refuse to release. One of the bigger issues that most people see and are aware of is the data collecting done by the government. The government has databases with information  on everyone from their mother to their second cousin twice removed. Also, the government often has records of data that most people would not want in the hands of others. Most likely, these people are not murders or terrorists, they are often a normal civilians that would not want their current location recognized or other personal information. "Defenders of the state's new surveillance capabilities argue that in the modern world, these techniques are necessary if terrorists and criminals are to be caught" (Snowden 434). To have an effective way to stop criminals is good use of technology, such as cameras or listening devices, however, the power should not be taken advantage of and the government can find other ways that are just as effective for catching criminals without violating millions of people's right to privacy. The issues does not stop there. What about all of the cameras and recording devices placed around the U.S. and the world? The problem has escalated to a point of secrecy between the government and its citizens. Etzioni starts his debate by saying that "Most privacy violations in the paper age resulted from primary collection; most violations in the cyber age result from secondary usages of information that has been legally collected" (1264). People understand the current difference between the time periods. Even when the collecting of documents was allowed during the paper age "there were still very sharp limits" to what could be processed how and where, but issues arise in the modern age because "information can be collated much more readily with other items of information, analyzed, and distributed" (Etzioni 1264). Other areas of personal privacy are being taken advantage of aside from computers. The court case United States vs Jones involved the "installation of a GPS tracking device on Jones car after that State's warrant had expired" (Etzioni 1274). The issue that arises is not the government taking illegal advantages of their citizens, but the idea that the technology revolution brings these types of objects into life. Many devices, not just a GPS tracker, can be used to gather extremely personal information legally or illegally. Also, there is the side of others outside government agencies that have this technology and do not always follow the specific laws of the area.. Wagner state his stance by bring out the major problem that "Only a small fraction of law enforcement agencies in the United States obtain a warrant before tracking the cell phones of suspects and persons of interest" which is due, in part, "to the fact that courts have struggled to keep pace with a changing technological landscape" (200). The pure fact is startling and quite thought provoking. How many times has law enforcement taken advantage of the flaws in the court system? We cannot get out of hand with the issue and we need to realize that law enforcement is not purposely being corrupt or taking advantage of it's people, but they are taking precautions in order to help the people. I would believe that when these illegal acts are committed, they are done to dangerous people and the government wants to catch them and prevent them from doing further damage, which is a positive thing. Brent states that "the landmark 1928 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. United States defined for a generation the government's ability to wiretap telephone conversations without a warrant" (207). The court case was the first of its kind and the first real issue that people started to view regarding the topic of technology and privacy. The case clearly goes against our Fourth Amendment right to searches and seizures, which is at the heart of the privacy issue. Brent continues to explain that "This gathering of evidence would have been impossible without the new technological means to do so" (207). 

Cybercrime would be viewed as the root of much bigger threats that many people might encounter because it could lead to events such as an attack or war. As developers learn more and more, and as less developed countries start to advance in their own computer expansion, it gives "an ideal platform for new covert wars and conflicts" (Armencheva 259). Many of these cyber terrorists take advantage of the "blurred formulations" (Armencheva 259) on regulations on the internet. In the present age, many of the designs and structures that help anyone through their daily life is controlled by computers, from business management to medicine and sciences. These structures "acquire[] the characteristics of the "central nervous system of the human society and are inextricably linked with people's daily lives" (Armencheva 260). The problem is most of our actions and processes through the day are absorbed into machines or computers. This idea is the core of the issue of cybercrime and a possible war. If a society relies so heavily on computers then once they are infiltrated, the society will fall, and fall heavy. The idea is so powerful because there is no killing or inhuman actions, there are people half way across the globe shutting down all systems from another country. How would any country or government defend an enemy that we cannot see? However, the U.S. has specialized teams to counter all cyber terrorist activity, but the possibility of an attack is powerful and not impossible. It may even be possible in the next 10 years or less. Another problem is that as the threat of cybercrime increases, the legal regulations on cyber activity are going to change and more likely become much tighter on the users. This could cause an unrest for computer users and may come to the point where the government is "violating human rights" and it may even "provoke violence (both over individual groups and between the state institutions)" (Armencheva 261).

The failure to see the issue is hefty, as "almost half of the U.S. citizens say they would be willing to sacrifice privacy for improved tools for shopping, and 30 percent were also willing to forgo some privacy for online gaming, social networking, and banking" (Hoanca 29). As more and more uses of the internet arise, people are more willing to give out information and lose privacy, which is a huge problem. A company, or even a government, is going to take advantage of this flaw. If the public is slowly starting to accept the privacy invasions for their own personal gains, then the public will suffer. "The expectations of CIPT (Control over Information Pertaining to Themselves) increases as the individual expects that the larger community will be unable to get information about him or her, just as the individual knows less about most of the others in the larger community" (Hoanca 31). This study conveys that the average person that uses computer technology believes that they are safer or untouched from the possible security threats, when that idea is entirely wrong. Individuals often have a skewed idea of how privacy works, which often gives them an idea of safety because they take some precautions, even if those precautions are unnecessary or useless. 

The argument is very important and currently pertinent. We are now much more educated on the subject of computer privacy and the possible threats and problems that anyone who uses a computer could face. With computers being so integrated into modern society, it has become a necessity to be able to know where your information, or other people's information, goes and how it is used. With some ground knowledge on the subject, we can start to take the steps towards protection and prevention. Computers are never going to be taken out completely, because that would be unrealistic; however, the human race is going to have to find a common ground and certain rules and guidelines for internet use. The ultimate goal would be to have international laws and law enforcement for the World Wide Web, even if that task is a great feat. Assembling the group to lead the council would be challenging because it would be a great responsibility, especially because the agreement would span across continents. The speaker or leader would have to speak for everyone in the world. Also, finding people with vast knowledge on the subject and that would be willing to try to enforce those rules would be even more difficult. Even the best computer people from Microsoft or IBM have problems and struggles trying to tackle cybercrime across the world. The big idea would only work if the people of the world came together to make a fair judgement. The public is going to have to take action soon or terrible events may come upon us, such as a cyber-attack.

Computers is one of the pinnacle achievements of the world. The development of computers is close to one of man's greatest feats. To be able to compute and use the technology is outstanding and most modern, most people cannot make it through their day without the use of a computer. Some people would say that there is no privacy issue or negligible amount today because everyone is so educated and takes precautions to prevent possible threats, which is true; however, as stated earlier in this writing, many people would give up privacy for basic computer use, even social media access so people are willing to give up their information for minimal.

The idea of artificial intelligence always comes up when advanced computers are in the mix. AI is not a big issue of threat currently, but people should still see its capabilities and possible outcomes. The war of the machines will probably never happen for the movie goers because the technology is not physically strong or stable enough. But IBM and other big computer companies are developing a "person-like" machine to be able to do specific tasks or answer certain questions. The scariness of it is that these machines might be taking the place of other humans or possibly become aware of themselves and start hurting or damaging themselves, other objects, or people. The main example is the self-piloting drone that would especially bomb and destroy and target that it wanted. The technology is not here, but people should be aware. 

Computer is a device that stores and processes data. Most people use some type of computer or electronic device throughout their day. The fact that computers are used daily and by many people, often make them a great target for anyone who would use the technology to their advantage. Some steps are necessary for users to take to be able to use technology and the internet safely, but even with these precautions, threats are still pertinent and everyone should start to become more aware of it.

