Security vs. Functionality

Imagine a world found only in science fiction novels or movies. In this world, almost any piece of information is readily available through the ubiquitous computer. What distinguishes our world from this world? Obviously, new developments in information technology, data retrieval methods, and human-computer interaction will make this more of a reality. But what about privacy and security?

In many cases, I believe the technology exists now but we are holding ourselves back. We are cautious to make information more available because we worry about the security and privacy of that data. In our world where acronyms such as PII (Personally Identifiable Information) and SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act) have become buzzwords, technology professionals know that just because data can be made available, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. Our fear of hackers, phishers, and social engineering keeps us from benefiting from technological advances.

Ultimately, this is a good thing. Networks and the Internet are based on trust. If we can't trust that our information will be protected in an environment, we won't invest the resources to set up that environment. Take, for example, the idea of storing our medical records in a centrally available location. I think everyone would agree that it would be great to have that information readily accessible by any doctor to whom you grant access. However, we'd also agree that our medical records should not be accessible by anyone else. That causes some problems in the design and implementation of a good idea.

This is why I think we've seen less technological innovation in the data realm than we otherwise would have. The fear of hackers, viruses, and insecure data destroys trust - the very trust necessary to establish new environments to store and share data in new ways. The technology is there, and the innovation is abundant, but the trust takes time and resources to foster. We'd have a lot more personal information available if we could trust it would be used properly.

Storing and integrating personal information into the stream of public information available on the Internet is an interesting problem we face today regarding trust. As more people are equipping themselves with personal digital assistants of all types, innovation will lead to PDAs that are truly "assistants" in every sense of the word. They will be able to assist in making decisions because all information necessary will be available to them. Not sure what to have for breakfast? A check of your past meals plus your dietetic analysis could make a suggestion. Worried about where your daughter is? GPS coordinates translated and relayed to you could put your mind at ease. To these examples, our minds scream, "What about security and privacy!?" Those are valid trust issues that we need to solve. Or else, we forfeit amazing, innovative advances in technology.

There is good news. We do move forward. It's rare for a bank today to not have an online presence, thereby making its information available. Social networking sites continue to spread using their viral appeal. Let's hope that this trust continues to grow (without ignoring security) and innovation will not be stifled by fear.