It is understandable that online users often casually give out their home address. There’s no problem with it with friends whom you want to be close with. However, if your home address is opened to millions of other online users, there is the problem. Privacy problems may be worse than what you would expect.

Just recently, information was gathered that Facebook shows its users’ home address to developers. Jeff Bowen in one of his posts wrote that Facebook makes these data available in the development platform. Actually, it is not only the users’ addresses but also their mobile phone numbers.

The real problem is with rogue app developers. Graham Cluley was very specific when he pointed out the possible results. These rich data could help rogue app developers to spread their malicious business. This could take the form of spam or cold-calling.

From the simple example above, it is clear that one should be extra careful when comes to uploading his or her home address. When there’s a need to supply this information online, it is best to find out if the application is legitimate or valid.

Cluley also suggested that stricter policies on Facebook’s access policies should be implemented. For example, developers should not be granted access to information. Access would be granted only when they could prove that they are valid. Another alternative would be to require developers to ask users’ approval when using their data.

Here comes the privacy issue. Users became open to providing their personal information to these companies. Unknowingly, they are also opening their “doors” to intruders. Using their own supplied information, users are being tracked by companies that thrive on data marketing. Some of these marketers could abuse and take advantage of using this to push their own purpose.

Adding complexity to the issue on privacy is the fact that existing privacy laws are already outdated. Information technology has grown very rapidly, but privacy laws have remained dormant and hence obsolete. Users’ privacy could no longer be fully covered. It is very easy for an interested party to gain access to personal data or behavior of online users. Companies that have possession of these data cannot simply say “no” whenever they are called to turn these over to authorities. This is because existing privacy laws “allow” such access to records.

Facebook and Twitter as social networking companies hold so much personal data. This host of information provided by their users is the responsibility of these companies. It is their obligation to protect them by keeping them confidential. With the state of privacy laws, these companies can be compelled to let loose of these data. This is true especially if it is government’s protocol. It is in this situation that conflicts of interest emerge and can be detrimental to both parties.

Different groups have pushed for the revision of these laws. Giants in the internet industry have actually joined forces to call for thorough revamp of privacy laws. Even some government officials also believe that the change is inevitable. It should be implemented soon. Actually, the government has given a hint that 2011 would mark the rebirth of privacy laws. This time, these would be more timely and relevant to the existing conditions in the online community.

Social networking is one site where people could plainly give out their personal information. Facebook for instance has about 500 million users around the globe. This number of users has at least their basic private information open to practically anyone else online. All these data are in the custody of the networking business. These same data are what the government trying to defend in line with privacy laws.

As mentioned before, many internet users have become very careless in uploading information. With technology on the go, the government desires to put added control over data selling. Many government officials support the planned enhancement of privacy rights protection.

On the other hand, Facebook also has taken the test to redesign its strategies in the US. It has accepted the stand of the government leaning towards a stricter discharge of privacy laws. For this, the company has taken a stride ahead of the rest of its counterparts like Twitter, Zynga and LinkedIn.

Lobbying has become the most appropriate approach. Facebook has strategized to hire added employees who are specialists at public policies. Certainly, it is up to looking for some negotiation between the government’s project and the company’s objectives. To remember, government in particular wants to beef-up legislations to protect online users. These would include users’ identities, personal info, and online habits. In addition, policies will also be passed regarding the tracking, gathering and sale of any of this shared information.

There is an apparent hint that the government would launch “do not track” legislation. Senator Richard Blumenthal opts for policies that would oblige sites to obtain specific consent to track and sell data. The same stand is taken by Rep. Edward Markey, but centers more on protecting online activities and data collecting and profiling.

The brighter side of the matter is that both Facebook and government have the same viewpoint when comes to privacy protection. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg consents that people should be guaranteed of their privacy. Similarly, users have to be convinced that they have full control over the data that they submit. These are the same objectives as that of the planned legislation enhancements by the government.

More or less, there is likelihood that new regulatory actions would be implemented before long. This would be great news not only for Facebook but for other groups as well. If ever, these new policies would advantage both the users and companies. On one hand, users could continue to benefit from the fruits of technology. On the other, companies could make use of personal data but still keeping the privacy of millions of their clients.

People post to much stuff on the Internet, and it never deletes itself. Although sites rarely ever clean out their servers, even if they did, you can guarantee your information is already posted to another site. And you can be sure from there that somebody stored it on their computer and emailed it to a bunch of their friends and co-workers; a vicious cycle. Suddenly your embarrassing photo or online rant about something has made you the laughing stock of your community and future employers will hold this over your head. Employers now often do a quick Google search of their applicant’s names, to see if they have a social networking site account. Colleges do this also; they want to make sure they are hiring some complete slacker who has all sorts of incriminating stuff on his page.

Whether this information is collected or used against you is completely involuntary too. It is one thing to share a picture because they put it there. It is another thing to involve someone in a video or picture without their consent, or post personal things about them like address or telephone number.

Governments and third party advertising organizations pretty much have an absolute ruling over these kinds of data. A government can use and access anybody’s data for pretty much any excuse they have, and do so often. Although almost all of the time it is to catch or a crook or bad guy, this is still a little disturbing. We really need to step up privacy laws in the U.S. and also around the world. People in some less than democratic countries have the worst times with this kind of stuff: government censorship, Internet police, and other ridiculous practices.

If the laws won’t change, (and they usually don’t for a long, long, time) then something has got to help our situation out.  For one, try using an anonymous proxy.  Also, encryption services will encrypt all of your data so that no one would be able to hack in and steal any sensitive information. Take your privacy into your own hands, (the legal way) get an anonymous proxy now.