This week in class we learned about FIPPA, privacy, and security. In relation to Health Information Science (my major), these topics are extremely relevant to the field, as the use of information in healthcare is incredibly sensitive, and must be protected. During class, we looked at a few sites that caused us to think about and reflect on how our information is available online.

The first site I visited was “clickclickclick.click” which is an interactive website that demonstrates how easy it is for users to be tracked online. Every movement or action I took while on the site and navigating to other sites was either narrated or documented through text. After playing around with this website for some time, I thought that it was quite creepy and incredibly surprising how much of our online behavior is tracked and recorded by websites. This leads me to think about how the input of personal or sensitive information on various sites may not be as secure as we believe it is.

The second site I interacted with was called “Since You Arrived” and similarly to the previous site, it displayed information such as my IP address, location, computer information, and various other statistics. This site represents that the supposed privacy that we encounter through the usage of digital applications and websites is merely an illusion. Most sites have a broad range of access to sensitive information in relation to our devices. One thing that I learned on this website was that when websites use cookies, they continue to have access to our digital activity and information even after you have left the site.

Furthermore, one topic we discussed was the proposed legislation of Bill C-22 in Canada. I thought that this event was incredibly important and interesting. The proposed legislation would allow law enforcement agencies in Canada to have access to private telecommunication data to solve crimes, exploitation, and more. Citizens have become extremely divided, and after researching both sides of the argument, I can understand why this remains controversial.

Overall, I think topics regarding privacy and security are crucial to learn, especially in a course like this. Specifically, this lecture related to the learning outcome regarding privacy; “Familiarity with ethical and legal frameworks around online and open education, including privacy legislation, copyright and Creative Commons licensing” Allowing students and educators to be more informed and empowered while using digital platforms ensures that safety and trust is built within technological environments.