read story and answer questions
Finding Mindy
Students often wonder if information privacy is really as much of a problem as the media tries to convey. In order to start looking into an answer for this question, let us see how information privacy can affect the lives of individuals. Please read the following story.
After a long week of school, Mindy was eager to get home, grab a snack, and relax in front of the computer. Signing on with her screen name SftBallGr116, she noticed Jimmyg114 was online, whom she met a month ago in a sports chat room.
SftBallGr116:
Hey you! I think I’m being stalked LOL!
Jimmyg114:
LOL really, why?
SftBallGr116:
Well I thought this car was following me on my walk home today. But I think it was just my imagination LOL
Jimmyg114:
Haha someone’s paranoid! Better stop giving out your info online
SftBallGr116:
No way. I don’t do that. I’ve heard the terrible stories.
Jimmyg114:
Anyway didn’t you have a game today?
SftBallGr116:
Yeah and we won again. 3 in a row!
Jimmyg114:
Nice, who did you guys play?
SftBallGr116:
The Warriors. They were pretty good.
Jimmyg114:
What is your team called?
SftBallGr116:
We are the Newtown Hawks. We just got new uniforms. I love them,
Jimmyg114:
Really what do they look like?
SftBallGr116:
They are blue and white with an awesome hawk logo on the front.
Jimmyg114:
Nice, what position do you play?
SftBallGr116:
Third base. We play them again for our homecoming in 2 weeks. My parents and friends are all coming. It is a big game. Well I have to get going. My parents will be home any minute and I was supposed to do the dishes. LOL
Jimmyg114:
LOL ok catch you later.
Later, Jimmyg114 went to the member’s menu to search for her profile. He began to write everything down he knew about SftBallGr116 so far.
Name: Mindy
Birthday: July 19,1996
Age: 13
Location: Maryland
Hobbies: softball, jogging, skiing, hanging out at the mall
Besides this information, he knew she lived in Newtown because she had just told him. He knew she stayed by herself until 6:00 p.m. every evening until her parents came home from work. He knew she played softball on Thursday evenings on the school team, and the team was named the Newtown Hawks. Her favorite number, 19, was printed on her jersey. He knew she was in the eighth grade at Newtown High School. This information had been gathered over the past couple weeks.
By Tuesday, Mindy forgot about the car following her.
Her game was well under way when she noticed a man she had never seen before staring at her. This startled her at first. Occasionally she would glance over at him, and he would smile. He seemed harmless. When the game finished, he wandered around, watching Mindy as she talked with her coach. Mindy began to walk home and the man followed quietly behind her. Keeping a safe distance, the man watched Mindy walk into her house. He now knew her exact location.
Questions:
How much of the information provided by Mindy to Jimmyg114 would you consider private?
How much of that information would be available online if Mindy did not interact with Jimmyg114?
What types of personal information do you as a student care about protecting normally? Are you going to be more careful?
What potential risks do Mindy and her family now face?
