Online Advertising and Hidden Hazards to Consumer Security and Data Privacy

With the emergence of the Internet and e-commerce, more and more commonplace activities are taking place on the Internet, which has led to major advances in convenience, consumer choice, and economic growth. These advances have also presented novel questions concerning whether consumer security and privacy can be maintained in the new technology-based world. We will examine these issues today specifically in the context of online advertising, where vast data is collected and cyber criminals exploit vulnerabilities in the system and use malware to harm consumers. Consumers who venture into the online world should not have to know more than cyber criminals about technology and the Internet in order to stay safe. Instead, sophisticated online advertising companies like Google and Yahoo! have a responsibility to help protect consumers from the potentially harmful effects of the advertisements they deliver.