Growing privacy and security concerns

Description:

In the future Internet, everyday devices are increasingly networked together with one another. It will, therefore, pose much greater reliability, security, and privacy concerns than the Web does now because users will be much more dependent on the technology in their daily lives. A lot of infomation about users of internet maybe gathered without their agreement and knowledge ("1984"). Government agencies store private information in secured databases though they are relying more and more on the internet. Therefore, even if users are aware of or agree for the information about their behaviour to be colleted, networked computers will store this private information. Hacker attacks on such computers may lead to information leaks.

So there are basically two concerns: (i) of private information being collected (example) and stored remotely and (ii) of security of this private information.

Enablers:

1. Identification. The lack of a means of reliable and secure identification (i-passport) over the internet significantly impedes the qualitative development of the internet. The analogy to a mundane passport may serve well as an example. There different passport but they fall into specific categories which are ruled by some international treaties/laws. Person's identity is supported by the passport and all required stamps, visas, etc. in it. The issue of intangibility of i-passport should be solved. I-passport has to be "portable" between terminals but can not be used by other people (e.g. photo in the passport). Identification of a person should be somehow connected to the person and not only to a device, media, or passport. Information on the person should be stored along with ID details.
2. Dominant client/server architecture (monopoly of Windows/Outlook or some soft-/hardware on the server side) permits "economies of scale" of attacks of any kind. Unfortunetaly, a specific set of standards should emerge to keep the qualitative development of the internet which creates a vicious circle on standards-uniqueness issue.
3. Internet literacy. Spammer attacks on bank accounts, despite a broad public attention to it, still occure which means that they are still profitable. Those people who incur damages or losses because of such attacks will refrain from using any internet services for long time.
4. Lack of regulation

Inhibitors:

1. Techlonogical maturity. why
2. International regulation/legislation. US/EU Agreement on Data Privacy and Safe Harbor why?

Paradigms:

Changes in ways of thinking about the world due to the driving force.

Experts:

Sources for additional information about this driving force. (if you have found people, put the links to them)

Timing:

Dates for key milestones in the development of the driving force.

Web Resources:

1. IAPP TRUSTe Symposium: Privacy Futures
2. Weblog on the resources in the public and private sector related to law and technology news