IELTS Writing practice 3

Information technology is making it increasingly easy to collect and access computerized data on individuals, which poses a threat to our privacy. In what ways can the information gathered be misused and what can be done to minimize these misuses and protect the privacy of the individual?

New ways of communication and social interactions have become a threat to people’s privacy. Internet and social networks have created an industry around people’s personal information. Those websites collect the data for selling or using it and we have to add to this malware that steals the data from the people’s computers.

Nowadays information technology is making it easy for websites to collect personal information from users. Different kind of websites like social networks ask for people’s private information that is then used to offer the users personalized services or products based on preferences taken from the data that was collected. Furthermore, these websites can sell this data to other companies which can create profiles of the users and then build a marketing strategy to approach those users who at the end are defenseless and not able to make a correct decision.

Even worse than that is the software called “malware”, which is installed in people’s computers. This type of software is installed when users visit websites or when they install software that they consider safe. What this malware does is collect users personal information as well as record common habits and then all the data collected is used to offer people products or services. This malware can also steal people’s accounts and passwords and with this supplant identity steal money from bank accounts, or even worse, make comments or contact others in name of their victims, ruining people's integrity.

In conclusion, it is very easy to use information technology to collect and access people’s private information and then use it to benefit others. People should be more cautious about who they give their personal data to and more conscious of how this information could be used. They should not install software they have not confirmed is safe. We all must remember to read the websites’ agreement policies and have an antivirus program installed on our computers.