But you
ask, "Why should I worry about privacy and security? I'm
not a criminal or a terrorist; I've got nothing to hide. Heck,
I even voted for Ronald Reagan (and George Bush too)." If
you really think that helps, you probably shouldn't be here after
all.
There are
more reasons to want to protect your privacy than can be listed
here. The important principal is that you have a right to privacy
as long as that right is used within the bounds of the law. Seeking
privacy should not make one feel guilty; privacy should be expected,
and demanded. The reasons might be as simple as preserving your
right to express unpopular opinions without being subjected to
persecution, or as serious as communicating sensitive business
information, legal discussions with your attorney or accountant,
or hiding your true identity from an oppressive government. Regardless
of your reasons, privacy is your right. Contrary to what some
government officials might want the public to believe, not all
those concerned with security and privacy are subversives or terrorists.
The internet
provides one of the easiest communications tools ever afforded
mankind. It is quick, convenient, cheap....and as insecure as
it is quick, convenient, and cheap. A message sent many months
ago may remain on an ISP's server or in a backup, and can be easily
retrieved by anyone who knows how to do so. Whether you consider
his actions right or wrong, Oliver North provides a good example
of how old messages may come back to haunt you. His erased messages
were recovered some six months later and used against him in legal
proceedings.
It is nearly
as simple for someone to intercept your messages, if they are
so inclined. This may be just an administrator of your ISP or
your office intranet, with no malice intended. Or it might be
a competitor, legal foe, or government agency, with much more
serious intentions.
There are
a myriad of means available to protect online privacy. Some are
cumbersome and complex while others are extremely simple. Of greater
importance is that some methods are almost totally lacking in
security while others are nearly bulletproof. We'll try to wade
through some of the offerings on the anonymity page.