Fear of surveillance

Mechanism

Information flowing across the Internet is in most cases visible to anyone with the necessary technical skills and access, including technical staff at ISPs and telcos through which traffic passes. The technology to encrypt (i.e. using codes to conceal) communications on the Internet is reasonably well developed. High-quality email encryption has been freely available for many years. However it is not often used, to the extent that encrypted email would "stand out" to anyone observing traffic flows on the Internet.

Most web traffic is not encrypted, although some websites which handle banking and e-commerce use a more secure way of communicating with users which codes the information passing to and fro. [When using a secure site there is a padlock visible on a web browser. However, a padlock does not guarantee safety.]

Encryption as used on the Internet only protects information while it is in transit. Information could be stolen or copied at either end, or at any intermediate servers where might be stored temporarily. Even when files are encrypted while stored, which itself requires a degree of technical ability, a determined attacker can often get the contents. [For instance: FBI Hacks Alleged Mobster, Wired News, 6 Dec 2000.]

Comment

There are two issues - the perception that privacy could be invaded, and the actuality of any real invasion. There are no documented cases of credit card fraud due to interception of credit card numbers in transit. (There are many due to poor security leading to e-commerce sites being cracked.) Some banks explicitly indemnify their card holders against third party abuse of their card due to leakage on the Internet. The actual risk of interception causing problems for people seems very low.

The use of interception by law enforcement is something which society debates, but most people would agree that the capability is necessary. Concern over this would not appear to hinder use of the Internet by most people.

Example Mitigations

Education on facts

Discussion with bankers

Internet safety focus