Online Security and Payment Systems

Online Security and Payment Systems

It is undeniable that online payment systems are on the upswing in today's society, the USA and the world. Electronic payments are now being used by government agencies for direct deposit tax refunds and to pay government benefit via the use of debit cards. Individuals are also using electronic payments to settle financial transactions without the use of checks or cash. These electronic funds transfers can actually make currency conversions, if necessary. Further, companies are giving discounts on services if they are allowed to electronically draft an account (demand or credit card). With this increase in ecommerce transactions, it is reasonable to expect an increase in cybercrime. Therefore, as a consumer a major concern is the protection of identities, especially mine. The online security issues relating to the dimensions of ecommerce security stood out the most because it deals with identity and information protection. Specifically, possessing the integrity to secure and protect privacy, confidentiality and availability of personal information, is of major concern. The ability to protect and an individual's identity and privacy is difficult to secure in an ecommerce society because individual integrity cannot be policed, "public record" is available to anyone who looks for it, and people's lack of computer knowledge.

Establishing ethical standards (standards of behavior or integrity) does not guarantee the protection of an individual's identity and privacy because the integrity of people cannot be policed. Ethics refers to standards or laws of behavior that dictates how human beings ought to act in given situations. A person's behavior may not follow the law. Behaviors are influenced by feelings and feelings impact ethical choices. If a person feels hate, their choices and actions may be that of hatred. There is no standard or law to police the way a person feels. Morris Massey in the video, "What You Are is Where You Were When" (Massey, 1986) shows that behaviors are based on values, norms, and the time and place you were located when they were established. Therefore, behaviors cannot be policed by laws and likewise my identity and information cannot be fully protected.

An individual's identity and privacy is difficult to maintain because "public record" make personal indentifying information available to anyone who is willing to look for it. Public record is information that has been filed or recorded by local, state, federal or other government agencies. These public records can include addresses, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, immigration records, real estate records, driving records, criminal records, property ownership, and possibly a person's salary and much more. All of this information provides very personal indentifying information that can compromise a person's security and privacy.