Watch Out

Good try, but a ski mask offers little protection from online scrutiny!!

Many people fear that a similar thing is happening on the Web. They're worried that someone, usually the government, is recording and analyzing their Web browsing activity. They argue that these acts are an invasion of privacy.

• Are they right to be worried? Can the government keep track of all the Web sites everyone visits, and
  
• would it be able to act on that information?

It's easy to understand why some people are worried.

In some ways, fear about the government's ability to keep tabs on Web activities has reached the level of a conspiracy theory.

In the most extreme version of the theory, the government is tracking not only Web site activity, but also is building a database of potential suspects for crimes ranging from corporate sabotage to terrorism. Other theories don't go that far, but still suggest the government is treating everyone like a suspect -- even if people aren't doing anything illegal or questionable.

Keeping Track of Web Activity

Internet cookies aren't going to tell the government about every Web site you've visited. Some consumer news articles might give you the impression that Internet cookies broadcast everything you do on your computer to every Web site administrator connected to the Internet. The truth isn't quite so frightening.

Currently, the U.S. Congress is considering an act that would require Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to retain personal data for all its subscribers that the government could then use in investigations.

If you fill out an online form on a Web site, the site may store that information in the cookie on your hard drive. The personal information can't get into the cookie file unless you choose to provide that information. There's no way for the cookie to search your computer for identification information.

In other words, if you're worried about personal information hitting the Web, just don't share it.