Topic 23 Internet and Privacy

　　Internet is playing a more important role in our life. We work with it, giving and receiving orders; we communicate with it, through e-mail, online phone, or QQ; we entertain with it, playing games, watching movies, and enjoying music; we study with it, looking for and exchanging information; we live with it, doing shopping and banking. Besides, we can log on to the Internet on campus, in a bar, at home, or in a hotel, almost anywhere anytime.

　　However, if we want to enjoy the service, we have to register with many websites, typing in our name, age, gender, address, and telephone number. And these become part of contents stored online. With the “professional” hackers, despiteful and harmless, as well as irresponsible website administrators, the information might be stolen and made open and even sold. A case in point is the junk mails. A better example is the privacy of pop stars.

　　As a result, while enjoying the great convenience and speed of Internet, we are called sometimes by strangers, visited by promotions and junk ads, and cheated by someone unexpectedly. Therefore, think twice before deciding to register online.