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tinatoledo
Yay for Protecting Your Privacy!
Hey all, this is quenya -- I dropped the other journal. Anyway, I write a weekly column for our school newspaper - The Daily Aztec at San Diego State - so I usually post it here for your criticism/praise/corrections. Thanks! And let's get some more submissions in here!
* Note: I've been accused of being condescending in my columns -- personally, I don't see it, but I would like your HONEST opinion. I don't want to speak down to my readers and offend/annoy them, so if you feel I sound condescending, please let me know and what you think I can do to change this. Thanks!
Jennifer Weaver
Word Count: 670
Subject: Personal privacy violations
Our personal privacy is violated on a daily basis. From video cameras in the library monitoring our every action, to the university using our Social Security number as our student identification number, to private companies requesting our personal information. Every day, we give up more and more of our personal freedom without question or objection.
On any given day, I will give out my SSN two to five times. Today, for instance, I have given out my SSN three times. I publicly stated my name and SSN to a student volunteer in order to vote in the Aztec Center Fee Referendum, and I entered both my name and SSN into online forms in order to both access the library’s online database from off-campus and find out my Spring registration date via the school’s new web portal (www.sdsu.edu/e-services).
Every single day, I allow myself to be electronically monitored. From the cameras in the library where I work to the cameras in Aztec Shops where I shop, someone is almost always watching my actions.
The other day when I went to the mall to purchase a pair of jeans, the cashier asked for my phone number. I was paying in cash and saw no reason why she needed it. I refused to give her my information. Before I could question why she needed it, my fiancé, whom I dragged to the mall with me, willingly gave her his phone number. I was shocked and appalled that he would disclose such information for no apparent reason.
Every single day, we willingly give up our personal information without questioning who’s using it or why. Most of us are either ignorant or apathetic - or, perhaps, a bit of both. Most of us don’t know that we don’t always have to subject ourselves to privacy invasion. Those of us that do know this don’t see anything wrong with this invasion of privacy or simply don’t care.
There is something wrong with this and we should care. We need to question why our personal information is needed and who’s using it before willingly surrendering it to anyone at anytime. We need to ask why we’re being videotaped and who has access to those tapes.
At present time, pretty much anyone on campus can access your personal information at anytime. Why? Because the school still uses our SSN as our student identification numbers. Our SSN is used for everything. We need it to open an e-mail account; pickup our campus paycheck or financial aid; access our financial aid, grades, registration, or fee information; and access library databases from off-campus. Everyone, from student workers to professors to administrators have access to our name and social security number.
This is a huge deal and a major violation of our privacy. Historically, our social security numbers were never intended to be used for identification purposes. When President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act in 1935, he never intended it to be used as a universal identifier. In fact, until 1972, Social Security cards used to have “For social security purposes. Not for identification” printed on them.
If someone knows the name and SSN of another person, they essentially have unlimited access to that person’s personal information. For example, with a person’s SSN and name, they can call up that person’s bank, state that they lost their account number and, with the name and SSN, retrieve the account number and make changes, such as transferring funds, and other serious actions.
San Diego State favors functionality and convenience over personal privacy and security. Changing from a SSN-based student identification number to a generic student identification number would not be a major feat, but it seems to be one the University is unwilling to embark on. Changes to the current student identification system need to be made, and they need to be made now.
Our personal privacy and security is a right that we should never willingly surrender. Fight for your rights and don’t allow the university, or anyone else, to violate your privacy.
* Note: I've been accused of being condescending in my columns -- personally, I don't see it, but I would like your HONEST opinion. I don't want to speak down to my readers and offend/annoy them, so if you feel I sound condescending, please let me know and what you think I can do to change this. Thanks!
Jennifer Weaver
Word Count: 670
Subject: Personal privacy violations
Our personal privacy is violated on a daily basis. From video cameras in the library monitoring our every action, to the university using our Social Security number as our student identification number, to private companies requesting our personal information. Every day, we give up more and more of our personal freedom without question or objection.
On any given day, I will give out my SSN two to five times. Today, for instance, I have given out my SSN three times. I publicly stated my name and SSN to a student volunteer in order to vote in the Aztec Center Fee Referendum, and I entered both my name and SSN into online forms in order to both access the library’s online database from off-campus and find out my Spring registration date via the school’s new web portal (www.sdsu.edu/e-services).
Every single day, I allow myself to be electronically monitored. From the cameras in the library where I work to the cameras in Aztec Shops where I shop, someone is almost always watching my actions.
The other day when I went to the mall to purchase a pair of jeans, the cashier asked for my phone number. I was paying in cash and saw no reason why she needed it. I refused to give her my information. Before I could question why she needed it, my fiancé, whom I dragged to the mall with me, willingly gave her his phone number. I was shocked and appalled that he would disclose such information for no apparent reason.
Every single day, we willingly give up our personal information without questioning who’s using it or why. Most of us are either ignorant or apathetic - or, perhaps, a bit of both. Most of us don’t know that we don’t always have to subject ourselves to privacy invasion. Those of us that do know this don’t see anything wrong with this invasion of privacy or simply don’t care.
There is something wrong with this and we should care. We need to question why our personal information is needed and who’s using it before willingly surrendering it to anyone at anytime. We need to ask why we’re being videotaped and who has access to those tapes.
At present time, pretty much anyone on campus can access your personal information at anytime. Why? Because the school still uses our SSN as our student identification numbers. Our SSN is used for everything. We need it to open an e-mail account; pickup our campus paycheck or financial aid; access our financial aid, grades, registration, or fee information; and access library databases from off-campus. Everyone, from student workers to professors to administrators have access to our name and social security number.
This is a huge deal and a major violation of our privacy. Historically, our social security numbers were never intended to be used for identification purposes. When President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act in 1935, he never intended it to be used as a universal identifier. In fact, until 1972, Social Security cards used to have “For social security purposes. Not for identification” printed on them.
If someone knows the name and SSN of another person, they essentially have unlimited access to that person’s personal information. For example, with a person’s SSN and name, they can call up that person’s bank, state that they lost their account number and, with the name and SSN, retrieve the account number and make changes, such as transferring funds, and other serious actions.
San Diego State favors functionality and convenience over personal privacy and security. Changing from a SSN-based student identification number to a generic student identification number would not be a major feat, but it seems to be one the University is unwilling to embark on. Changes to the current student identification system need to be made, and they need to be made now.
Our personal privacy and security is a right that we should never willingly surrender. Fight for your rights and don’t allow the university, or anyone else, to violate your privacy.