In today’s public sphere, wireless communications have become a part of our everyday lives. In particular, mobile telephony has revolutionized the ways in which people are ‘connected’. It is within this form of technology, however, that problems arise with regards to ones privacy and security. Such a concern is only further complicated as privacy and security are terms which mean different things to different people. Recognized as Australia’s three leading telephone/mobile phone companies, Vodafone, Optus and Telstra all operate under explicit Privacy Acts, Principles and Amendments. For example, Optus readily supplies subscribers with access to a number of documents regarding their privacy rights, touching upon issues such as the handling of their personal information, privacy safeguards on their website and information on opting-out of the corporations marketing contracts (Optus, 2003). Similarly, Vodafone (Vodafone, 2004) and Telstra (Telstra, 2004) each have FairPlay Policies in place. Still, due to the ever-changing nature of mobile phones, especially where additional mobile tools are concerned, it is hard to address all concerns as people find new uses for new technologies.
There are a number of factors which make mobile privacy and security a central issue within society, specifically in relation to their additional features. For instance, the recent emergence of Camera Phones in Australia has sparked a wave of controversy. It would seem that the ways in which a minority of the population chose to use the device has hampered with the rights of innocent victims. In his article, the ‘Naked truth of phonecams’, Edward Mandia outlines a chilling scenario which highlights the disadvantages of this technology with the publics privacy in mind,
Whilst many argue for the need for tighter laws concerning cameras in mobile phones, others hold the opinion that it is the people that should be blamed – not the technology.
Correspondingly, an increase in the sending and receiving of unsolicited SMS messages, otherwise known as SMS Spam, raises questions on the subject of privacy. With telephone companies being labeled as the main culprit, the public has become more vocal about the annoyance factor that this ‘service’ provokes. In December 2000, Kate Mackenzie of The Australian reported,
In turn, a number of influential regulators are attempting to set barriers on SMS Spam to ensure that the public reserves their right to posses a personal line of communication.
Functional convergence has become the trend through which manufacturers continue to maintain consumer awareness. Most mobile phone consumers take delight in using mobile phones to snap pictures, record sounds, and organize their schedule. However, accompanied by multi-functional mobile phones, mobile phone users are facing more privacy and security threats then when the mobile phone was simply used as a means of voice transmission.
Location awareness is another example which illustrates the privacy and security issues emerging along with mobile phone usage in daily life. By calculating the distances between a specific mobile phone and any three phone base-stations to pinpoint a particular phone's location, emergency services such as the 9-1-1 service in the United States are given a significant advantage. Simultaneously, its use within a personal context has created further debate. Presently, third-generation mobile phone services are continually commercialised to consumers; providing content is one of the most important features of 3G service. On one hand, users are able to customise the contents from various providers whereas content/service providers can send out SMS spam and commercial advertisements to customers in a particular area at a particular time. For example, a Chinese restaurant, by embracing this technology, has the ability to message a mobile phone owner the location of their nearest outlet or an electronical coupon. According to Kei-Ichi Enoki, an executive vice president at NTTDocomo, Japan's biggest mobile phone carrier,
Mobile telephony is one of the oldest forms of communication with the world’s first in-car phone system being introduced in 1946 by AT&T. Due to the fact that AT&T is a United States based company, St Louis, Missouri was the first geographical region to experience the bulky contraptions which used only one transceiver station on six FM channels. Their high transmission capacity required hosting vehicles to be fitted with an extra battery and dynamo. The limitations of mobile telephony at this time inhibited a large number of subscribers (Bekkers & Smits, 1997). Nowadays, however, access to mobile phones has increased dramatically in Australia alone, growing from 44% of households in 1998 to 72% in 2002, as reported by The Australian Bureau of Statistics (The Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2004). Also, new technologies have overcome the previous limitations associated with mobile phones creating further incentive to become a first time user or to upgrade. So far we have seen the introduction of SMS, colour screens, polyphonic ring tones, camera phones and video phones just to name a few. One can only imagine where this now compact device will take us in the future. Perhaps the mobile phone will one day give life to a number of our other senses such as smell or touch.
Mobile phones play vital roles in human societies; particularly, in developed and developing countries. While individuals are relying on mobile communication deeply, not only the commercial society but also the telecommunication industry is developing new functions and applications which are still modifying the term ‘mobile communication’. Voice transmission is no longer the only way individuals use mobile phones. Instead, mobile phone networks have become a new platform where data, information and transactions are exchanged. As a result, the more mobile phones can do, the more information is exposed to danger. Multi-functional mobile phones which contain camera lenses, Mp3 players/recorders, schedual organisers, gaming functions and the like, have increased the concerns of individual privacy and personal data/information security. The possibility of resembling privacy and security issues common with the Internet is the major concern when transactions are made via mobile phones.
The importance of mobile phone privacy and security becomes increasingly significant to publics for numerous reasons. First, the increased connectivity of people has, without question, begun to diminish the concept of being ‘out of reach’. No longer can one blame their unexplained absence on a lack of appropriate technology. Rather, one is now often subject to answering questions of where they are at any given time. This raises the matter of people being constantly accountable. It is one thing to be responsible for your office job but to be disturbed at the most inopportune of times is another. Personal information should be exactly that – personal. When others choose to disrespect ones privacy and security the victim is often left feeling violated. Further, we are now aware that it is not only those we know who can interrupt us or cause us grief. Therefore the question will continued to be asked; namely, where should the line be drawn?
Mobile phone security and privacy relates to other topics of a similar nature that extend beyond the aforementioned. Mobile phones with bluetooth functions built-in are exposed to the prospect of being ‘hacked’. Also, possible threats may emerge with the combining of mobile phone networks and the Internet. The location awareness feature of mobile phones is similar, but not exactly the same, as Global Positioning Systems (or GPS).
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Rebecca Praden 08:18, 10 Sep 2004 (EST)
Wei-Ming Chiu 15:01, 9 Sep 2004 (EST)
