Sharing Information in the Information Age It is true that the world is no longer run by guns. Throughout the world there is almost always a computer controlling or participating in an everyday activity. Daily tasks that can range from simply renting a video, to checking the systems of a Collins Class submarine. However, the extent to which society should rely on these machines and their information has often been debated. And with the spread of the Internet also comes the very delicate issue of privacy. The “Big Brothers” of the world, who rely on information, seem to invade everyone's privacy, but tolerance of such violations is left to personal opinion. But when exactly should people draw the line? The ideal is for all people to notice when they communicate their most intimate details, therefore providing the information only in safe places. But while honest citizens are responsible for never revealing their information, companies, organizations and even governments are only trusted to “do the right thing.” In fact, the Freedom of Information Act created by the Australian government states that by law, statistics such as criminal records can be viewed free of charge by the general public. This not only removes privacy, but also adds an element of danger. On many occasions, vigilante groups have devastated the lives of criminals (especially pedophiles), simply because their criminal history was broadcast publicly. Just last year, a British newspaper made the regrettable decision to publish the names and addresses of known pedophiles in the area, sparking numerous acts of vandalism and attacks against those whose identities were revealed. A man, wrongly labeled a pedophile, was also beaten and robbed following the publications. At the same time, Australian police had already begun the rollout of “Crimenet,” an Internet-based database that provided private criminal information to anyone willing to pay for it. Fortunately, the database was removed from the Internet after it was discovered that members of juries were accessing information on the database, creating unfair prejudice against the defendant. But even if these problems have been addressed, there is no way to control the trade. of information in places like the Internet.