Alongside its positive impact of providing a global reach, the Internet is prone to a variety of abuses. In the 1990s it was unauthorised access of computers and impairment of the operation of computers through the introduction of viruses and worms that took centre stage. Since then the potential of the Internet for fraudulent activities has been realised by the criminal fraternity and, in recent years, we have seen, for instance, the rise of identity theft and the widespread distribution of offensive and illegal materials. The collection of essays in this volume, while being highly selective, provides a snapshot of the parameters of computer crime, the legal response and discussions surrounding ways to improve the security of cyberspace.

This anthology focuses on the ethical issues surrounding information control in the broadest sense. Anglo-American institutions of intellectual property protect and restrict access to vast amounts of information. Ideas and expressions captured in music, movies, paintings, processes of manufacture, human genetic information, and the like are protected domestically and globally. The ethical issues and tensions surrounding free speech and information control intersect in at least two important respects. First, the commons of thought and expression is threatened by institutions of copyright, patent, and trade secret. While institutions of intellectual property may be necessary for innovation and social progress they may also be detrimental when used by the privileged and economically advantaged to control information access, consumption, and expression. Second, free speech concerns have been allowed to trump privacy interests in all but the most egregious of cases. At the same time, our ability to control access to information about ourselves--what some call "informational privacy"--is rapidly diminishing. Data mining and digital profiling are opening up what most would consider private domains for public consumption and manipulation. Post-9/11, issues of national security have run headlong into individual rights to privacy and free speech concerns. While constitutional guarantees against unwarranted searches and seizures have been relaxed, access to vast amounts of information held by government agencies, libraries, and other information storehouses has been restricted in the name of national security.

Is your privacy at stake? Privacy violations are everywhere. How many Americans understand that the discount card at the drug store can track their orders, that the website they visited on their computer just installed a program to log their keystrokes, or that their workplace is monitoring their each and every move? Privacy violations can, and will, result in identity theft, credit card fraud, employer dismissal, and loss of productivity. If you don't know how to protect yourself, you run the risk of losing everything you ever worked for. If you think you're immune just because you don't own or use a computer, think again. Technology tracks everything and affects everyone, young and old, computer user or not. The Digital Umbrella exposes the risks to your personal privacy with real-life examples and proven methods to protect yourself. Learn how comporate America, the US government, and even your employer are destroying any expectation of privacy in this country. This informative guide to personal privacy includes in-depth analyses and tutorials on protection as well as ways to combat and prevent electronic fraud. Anyone can, and will, understand the topics covered in this book. Don't wait until it's too late, learn about the risks today!