When the Internet entered the public domain in the late 1980s, few predicted that it would one day be in the hands of nearly ninety percent of the American population. Today, almost everyone in developed countries has some sort of Internet using technology at their fingertips. While this type of connectivity is convenient in many ways, the Internet also requires its users to sacrifice the ability to keep their information private. Privacy in the 21st century is no longer possible when using the internet, personal information becomes vulnerable due to social media, technological evolution and the inability of most to remain free from connectivity. Social media and networking sites provide irrevocable access to personal information that is voluntarily surrendered therein, which can compromise the user's privacy from the moment it is uploaded to the network. In her article “Digital Footprints on the Internet” author Shelley Moore (2012) discusses the risk of “public life” that has become part of today's online culture: “Very personal information is shared on the Internet, giving rise to publicity life, not only to those who are considered friends but also within the reach of those who are not even acquaintances” (p.88). The risk here is in allowing one's personal information to be viewed by virtual strangers and in positioning the individual's personal life for scrutiny, both practices can be harmful. By making one's personal life a public spectacle, the user exposes himself to negative effects not only in his personal life but also in his professional or academic career. Information that can be accessed from social websites can be used to exclude people from businesses and positions based on... middle of paper... information off the Internet to the point where it becomes necessary for that individual to be cut off from the rest of the world. Privacy in the face of evolving technology is increasingly impossible to achieve. References Huigang, L., & Yajiong, X. (2010). Understanding security behaviors in personal computer use: A threat avoidance perspective. Newspaper of the Association for InformationKlitou, D. (2011). Privacy by Design and Privacy-Invading Technologies: Safeguarding Privacy, Freedom, and Security in the 21st Century. Legisprudence: International Journal For The Study Of Legislation, 5(3), 297-329.Moore, S.C. (2012). Fingerprints on the Internet. International Journal of Childbirth Education, 27(3), 86-91Thierer, A. (2013). The search for privacy in a world where information control fails. Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, 36(2), 409-455.