| The definition of the right to privacy is a combination | | | | causes them toemit large amounts of Radio |
| of manyprinciples upheld by the U.S. Constitution and | | | | Frequency ("RF") energy that can beintercepted, |
| in the Bills of Rightsof other countries around the | | | | even from large distances. If an antenna is used then |
| world.. These principles are recognizedby the courts | | | | youcan bet that it is not secure. Even the new, so |
| and legislative bodies as "the right to be left alone." | | | | called "secure",digital spread spectrums (eg: TDMA, |
| This right is under increasing pressure with the rapid | | | | CDMA, PCS and GSM) make phonetapping easy with |
| expansion oftechnology, the latest mass | | | | some low cost equipment. |
| manifestation of which is in the use ofthe mobile | | | | Companies are increasingly having to resort to |
| phone, and the ways in which it can impact on the | | | | security codes thatprevents a mobile phone from |
| userspersonal privacy. | | | | unauthorised use. The security code isusually supplied |
| There are several areas where mobile phone usage | | | | with the phone. And must be changed periodically |
| has impacted onpersonal privacy | | | | bythe user. If an invalid code is entered more than 2 |
| SMS Spamming | | | | or 3 times thephone will "lock". Technologies like this |
| Since mobile usage began to take off, spam via SMS | | | | will have to become morewide spread to increase |
| text messages hasbecome one the biggest areas of | | | | the public's confidence in the security oftheir mobiles. |
| complaint from users. But , in Europeat least, in the | | | | "Big Brother" and e-security |
| wake of the ruling by the European | | | | The ease of tapping mentioned above has lead to |
| Parliament'sspecialist Citizens' Rights and Freedoms, | | | | fears that mobilephones can be easily accessed by a |
| Justice and Home Affairs | | | | government intent on keeping evercloser tabs on it's |
| Committee, a ban on SMS spam will pass into | | | | population. The Foundation for Information Policy |
| European law followingformal approval by the | | | | Research's Caspar Bowden said. "What we are talking |
| Strasbourg Parliament. | | | | about is theinvasion of privacy and restriction on civil |
| According to members of the Federation of | | | | liberties by thisinformation being available as a tool of |
| European Direct Marketing | | | | surveillance...(which)... is likeputting an electronic tag on |
| (FEDMA), 56 percent of direct marketing across | | | | half the population," |
| Europe will be carriedout by mobile short message | | | | World wide, there is still little legal protection |
| services either directly or by third party | | | | whatsoever forcitizens who object to the collection |
| SMS marketing providers by next year. Bernadette | | | | of data about them.. One privacyexpert in the US |
| Lyons, managingdirector of Mobileway, said the main | | | | said: "There are no legal standards governing how |
| concern for the European Union isthe privacy rights | | | | theinformation is handled, or what can be done with |
| issues involved in SMS spamming. 'As opposed toemail | | | | it, and what rightspeople should have to be...notified |
| spamming, consumers find unsolicited SMS much | | | | of the capability. All of that iswide-open," |
| more personal asthe messages are pushed to their | | | | In Europe, European law enforcement agencies were |
| mobile phones rather than sitting inan inbox that | | | | recently givensweeping powers to monitor |
| needs to be accessed proactively. The medium,' | | | | telephone,traffic in a move denounced bycritics as |
| shestressed, 'is more intimate, more intrusive and | | | | the biggest threat to data privacy in a generation. |
| consumers generallyalways have their mobiles with | | | | Employer intrusion |
| them. Without guidelines, theopportunities created for | | | | Many mobile phone users also use their mobile phone |
| businesses by SMS services are open toabuse.' | | | | for business use. |
| Another aspect of spamming is unwanted intrusion | | | | Now that wireless text messaging (email, Instant |
| into the userspersonal space. One in four children in | | | | Messaging, SMS,etc.), voice mail, and traditional phone |
| the United Kingdom have beenbullied or threatened | | | | calls can be supported in asingle, handheld wireless |
| through their mobile phone or PC, according to | | | | device that can be shared for allcommunication |
| asurvey commissioned by British children's charity | | | | contacts with an individual user, many businesses |
| NCH | | | | arerequiring access to the "data" on the phone to |
| Location mapping | | | | check that "policy" isnot being breached. It may be |
| Cell phones are now being built that contain a Global | | | | that to protect themselves fromintrusion by their |
| Positioning | | | | employers, mobile phone users will in future |
| System (GPS) chip. That means that as long as it's | | | | berequired to carry two such devices, one for |
| turned on, thephone "knows" exactly where it is all | | | | personal contacts, and onefor business? |
| the time. In many ways, thisfeature is quite | | | | Fractured technology |
| convenient, e.g. to navigate out of an | | | | The many different standards used so far in building |
| unfamiliarneighbourhood, or provide emergency | | | | cell phones andnetworks means building e-security |
| medical personnel with a signal torespond to. But....It | | | | standards will be difficult. In the |
| will be much easier for people, includingemployers, | | | | United States, half of the 100 million cell phones in |
| enemies, and creditors, to track people down. | | | | use areold-style analog devices running on one type |
| Also,valuable data about the users habit (which | | | | of network. In the restof the world, most use digital |
| shopping areas theyfrequent, where they spend their | | | | mobiles on GSM networks. |
| leisure time etc ) couldtheoretically be sold to | | | | But even the GSM phones can't all share information. |
| marketing companies -- or to anybody else | | | | Users within asingle European country often cannot |
| whowants it. | | | | send each other text, or SMS,messages via their |
| Alan Davidson, of the Center for Democracy & | | | | mobiles because different carriers use |
| Technology has said,. "Idon't think people realize how | | | | differentprotocols. |
| available the information is, and howit is already being | | | | All of this means that unscrupulous individuals can |
| used. We've never had a situation whereinformation | | | | take advantage ofthe many different ways to |
| about the location of millions of people is | | | | access data while security cannot betightened due to |
| suddenlyreadily available, easily and cheaply." | | | | lack of standards. |
| Hacking and e-security | | | | Summary |
| Mobile phones can be hacked, giving criminals access | | | | The privacy problems prevalent in the mobile phone |
| to your data, which increasingly is coming to contain | | | | industry need to beaddressed, not only at national |
| financial access data such ascredit card numbers, | | | | level, but at international level. This is unlikely to occur |
| bank account numbers etc. It is also possiblefor | | | | until agreement can be reached on how toimplement |
| criminals to "clone" phones, or for them to steal your | | | | e-security on phones and phone networks, both on |
| phone andmodify the chip, allowing your details to be | | | | thefractured technology, and in such as a way that a |
| used outside your networkarea. | | | | user could haveconfidence in such security. |
| Also the very nature of cellular and cordless phones | | | | |