Chapter 4

INFORMATION,
CONTROL, AND
PRIVACY
 Privacy and Information Technology
Human beings value their privacy and the protection of their personal sphere of
life.
They value some control over who knows what about them.
They certainly do not want their personal information to be accessible to just
anyone at any time.
But recent advances in information technology threaten privacy and have
reduced the amount of control over personal data and open up the possibility of
a range of negative consequences as a result of access to personal data.
The combination of increasing power of new technology and the declining
clarity and agreement on privacy give rise to problems concerning law, policy and
ethics.
DATA PRIVACY ACT of 2012
• Republic Act 10173 is also known as Data
Privacy act of 2012
“ It is the policy of the State to PROTECT THE
FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT OF PRIVACY, of
communication while ensuring free flow of information
to promote innovation and growth.
The state recognizes the vital role of information and
communications technology in nation-building and its inherent
obligation to ensure that personal information in information and
communication systems in the government and in the private
sector are secured and protected”.
 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES - AN
OVERVIEW
  GENERAL OVERVIEW

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CODE 

OF THE PHILIPPINES
Republic Act No. 8293

The law:
Republic Act No. 8293 [An Act Prescribing the Intellectual Property Code and Establishing the Intellectual Propert
y Office, Providing for Its Powers and Functions, and for Other Purposes] otherwise known as the Intellectual Pro
perty Code of the Philippines.
 
State policy declaration:

The State recognizes that an effective intellectual and industrial

property system is vital to the development of domestic and creative
activity, facilitates transfer of technology, attracts foreign investments,
and ensures market access for our products.  It shall protect and
secure the exclusive rights of scientists, inventors, artists and other
gifted citizens to their intellectual property and creations, particularly
when beneficial to the people, for such periods as provided in this Act.
The use of intellectual property bears a social function.  To this end,
the State shall promote the diffusion of knowledge and information
for the promotion of national development and progress and the
common good.
Privacy and data protection
Spyware is unwanted software that infiltrates your
computing device, stealing your internet usage data and sensitive
information. Spyware is classified as a type of malware —
malicious software designed to gain access to or damage your
computer, often without your knowledge. ... Spyware is used for
many purposes.
Adware. Adware is a form of malware that hides on your
device and serves you advertisements. Some adware also
monitors your behavior online so it can target you with specific
ads.
How to remove adware or spyware?
1. Download and run an adware or spyware removal
program.
2. Set your browser settings to appropriate security
levels.
3. Use antivirus software and update it regularly.
4. Do not download suspicious programs, and check
programs before you install them.
Social Media Data Privacy Awareness
The revelations of Edward Snowden have demonstrated that
these worries are real and that the technical capabilities to
collect, store and search large quantities of data concerning
telephone conversations, internet searches and electronic
payment are now in place and are routinely used by
government agencies.
 Who is Edward Snowden?
Edward Joseph Snowden (born June 21, 1983)
Is a computer programmer who worked as a
subcontractor for the National Security Agency
(NSA).
Edward Snowden is a former National Security
Agency subcontractor who made headlines in
2013when he leaked top-secret information
about NSA surveillance activities.
The relationship between information technology (IT) and
privacy.
The specific threats that IT and innovations in IT pose for
privacy, and indicate how IT itself might be able to overcome
these privacy concerns by being developed in a ‘privacy-
sensitive way’.
The role of emerging technologies in the debate, and
account for the way in which moral debates are themselves
affected by IT.
1. Conceptions of privacy and the
value of privacy:
There is a “right to be left alone” based on a principle of
“inviolate personality”.
It is therefore difficult to conceive of the notions of privacy and
discussions about data protection as separate from the way
computers, the Internet, mobile computing and the many
applications of these basic technologies have evolved.
1.1 Constitutional vs. informational privacy
1.2 Accounts of the value of privacy
1.3 Personal Data
1.4 Moral reasons for protecting personal data
1.5 Law, regulation, and indirect control over access
 1.1 Constitutional vs. informational privacy
The first refers to the freedom to make one's own decisions
without interference by others in regard to matters seen as
intimate and personal.
The second is concerned with the interest of individuals in
exercising control over access to information about themselves and
is most often referred to as “informational privacy”.
Statements about privacy can be either descriptive or normative,
depending on whether they are used to describe the way people
define situations and conditions of privacy and the way they value
them
1.2 Accounts of the value of privacy
The relationship of privacy matters with technology, the
notion of data protection is most helpful, since it leads to a
relatively clear picture of what the object of protection is
and by which technical means the data can be protected. At
the same time it invites answers to the question why the
data ought to be protected.
1.3 Personal Data
Personal information or data is information that is
linked or can be linked to individual persons.
Examples include date of birth, sexual preference,
whereabouts, religion, but also the IP address of your
computer. Personal data can be contrasted with data
that is considered sensitive, valuable or important for
other reasons.
 1.4 Moral reasons for protecting personal data
The following types of moral reasons for the protection of personal data and for providing
direct or indirect control over access to those data by others can be distinguished (van den
Hoven 2008):
1. Prevention of harm: Unrestricted access by others to one's passwords,
characteristics, and whereabouts can be used to harm the data subject in a variety of
ways.
2. Informational inequality: Personal data have become commodities. Data
protection laws, regulation and governance aim at establishing fair conditions.
Providing data subjects with checks and balances, guarantees for redress.
3. Informational injustice and discrimination:
Personal information provided in one sphere or context (for
example, health care) may change its meaning when used in another
sphere or context (such as commercial transactions) and may lead to
discrimination and disadvantages for the individual.
4. Encroachment on moral autonomy:
Lack of privacy may expose individuals to outside forces that
influence their choices.
1.5 Law, regulation, and indirect
control over access
Data protection laws are in force in almost all countries.
The challenge with respect to privacy in the 21st century is
to assure that technology is designed in such a way that it
incorporates privacy requirements in the software,
architecture, infrastructure, and work processes in a way
that makes privacy violations unlikely to occur.
2. The impact of information
technology on privacy
2.1 Developments in information technology
2.2 Internet
2.3 Social media
2.4 Big Data
2.5 Mobile devices
2.6 The Internet of Things
2.7 E-Government
2.1 Developments in information technology
“Information technology” refers to automated systems for
storing, processing, and distributing information.
• Typically, this involves the use of computers and
communication networks.
2.2 Internet
• The Internet, originally conceived in the 1960s and developed in the
1980s as a scientific network for exchanging information. The World Wide
Web of today was not foreseen, and neither was the possibility of misuse
of the Internet.
 2.3 Social media
The interactive web, known as Web 2.0, where users generate much of the
content themselves, poses additional challenges.
• Users are tempted to exchange their personal data for the benefits
of using services.
• In addition, users may not even be aware of what information they
are tempted to provide.
2.4 Big Data
Users generate loads of data when online. sites visited, links
clicked, search terms entered.

2.5 Mobile devices

As users increasingly own networked devices like cellphones, mobile
devices collect and send more and more data. These devices typically
contain a range of data-generating sensors, including GPS (location),
movement sensors, and cameras, and may transmit the resulting data
via the Internet or other networks.
2.6 The Internet of Things
Devices connected to the Internet are not limited to user-owned
computing devices like smartphones.

2.7 E-Government
Government and public administration have undergone radical transformations
as a result of the availability of advanced IT systems as well.
• biometric passports,
• online e-government services,
• voting systems,
E-government (short for
electronic government)
Is the use of technological communications
devices, such as computers and the Internet
to provide public services to citizens and
other persons in a country or region.
3. How can information technology
itself solve privacy concerns?
Whereas information technology is typically seen as the cause of
privacy problems, there are also several ways in which information
technology can help to solve these problems.
3.1 Design methods
3.2 Privacy enhancing technologies
3.3 Cryptography
3.4 Identity management
3.1 Design methods
 Value Sensitive Design provides a set of rules and guidelines for
designing a system with a certain value in mind.

3.2 Privacy enhancing technologies

A growing number of software tools are available that provide some
form of privacy.
 3.3 Cryptography
Cryptography is used to protect e-mail messages, credit card
information, and corporate data.

3.4 Identity management

The use and management of user's online identifiers are crucial in
the current Internet and social networks.
 4. Emerging technologies and our
understanding of privacy
 Technology thus does not only influence privacy by changing the
accessibility of information, but also by changing the privacy norms
themselves.
How can you protect your information privacy?
11 Simple Ways to Protect Your Privacy
1. Don’t fill out your social media profile.
 The more information you share online, the easier it’s going to be for
someone to get their hands on it. Don’t cooperate.
2. Be choosy about sharing your social security number—even the last 4
digits.
 Think twice about sharing your social security number with
anyone, unless it’s your bank, a credit bureau, a company that
wants to do a background check on you or some other entity that
has to report to the IRS.
3. Lock down your hardware.
Set up your PC to require a password when it wakes from sleep or
boots up. Sure, you may trust the people who live in your house,
but what if your laptop is stolen or you lose it?

4. Turn on private browsing.

If you don’t want anyone with physical access to your computer to
see where you’re hanging out online you should enable “private
browsing,” a setting available in each major web browser. It deletes
cookies, temporary Internet files and browsing history after you
close the window.
5. Use a password vault that generates and remembers
strong and unique passwords.
Most people know better than to use the same password for more
than one website or application. In reality, it can be impossible to
remember a different one for the dozens of online services you use.

6. Use two-factor authentication.

You can lock down your Facebook, Google, Dropbox, Apple ID,
Microsoft, Twitter and other accounts with two-factor
authentication. That means that when you log in, you’ll also need to
enter a special code that the site texts to your phone.
8. Pay for things with cash.
According to Business Insider, credit card companies are selling your
purchase data to advertisers. Don’t want companies knowing how
much booze you’re buying or other potentially embarrassing habits?
Buy things the old fashioned way—with coins and bills.

9. Keep your social network activity private.

Check your Facebook settings and make sure only friends can see
what you’re doing. Go to the settings cog in the upper right hand
corner of your screen, then click on Privacy Settings >> Who can
see my stuff.
10. Don’t give our your zip code when making credit card
purchases.
Often stores will ask for your zip code when you’re checking out with a
credit card. Don’t give it to them unless you want to donate your details
to their marketing database. By matching your name, taken from your
credit card, with your zip code, companies can more easily mine more
information, including your address, phone number and email. address.
11. Lie when setting up password security questions.
“What is your mother’s maiden name?” or “In what city were you born?”
are common questions websites often ask you to answer so as to
supposedly keep your account safe from intruders. In reality, 
there’s nothing secure about such generic queries. That’s because
someone who wants access to your account could easily do some Internet
research to dig up the answers.