There's always a lot in the news about privacy and amendments upon which the United States was founded, and if you're listening to the various public outcries you might be thinking that privacy is a thing of the past.

When it comes to surfing the Internet, it is no exception. Your computer transmits an IP address, which is the Internet equivalent of your phone number. Imagine giving your phone number to every person on the street that you meet, and you have a good idea of how private your surfing habits are from the prying eyes of the falcons of ecommerce.

What can one do with your information? Well, if your data has no encryption, then anything, including e-mail and instant messages of an intimately personal nature are available for nearly anyone to peruse. ISP's can easily distinguish your IP and check what your shopping (or surfing) habits are: how frequently, to what type of site you visit, and how long you spend.

Well, the first thing you need to do is realize that this is an issue. As small as it may seem for you, this is personal information someone is getting from you at no cost, and it does tell something about who you are as a person. Just ask anyone in the FBI involved in the Carnivore Program. Its also information people can profit from. Ask yourself what information you're giving out to other people. Rule of thumb: If you don't want to read about it in the NY Times, don't post it.

Secondly, do something about it. There are a plenitude of programs and sites that deal specifically with this: Boxfrog.com (e-mail) and Guardster.com (surfing). Both programs offer encrypted sending and receiving of information. Also levy your local state and federal government. According to the New York Times, the following states were ranked on privacy issues:

First: Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Washington and Wisconsin.
Second: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Maine, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Utah and Vermont.
Third: Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon and Virginia.
Fourth: The District of Columbia, Alabama, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Fifth:Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming.

(Amazingly enough, I had to sign up to get that information)

And finally, draw the line - listen to reports, lectures, and the experts and draw your own conclusion. For some of us, it really doesn't matter who gets what and who's viewing where I've been. Hey, more power to them.