Frisell Says: the Most Important Online Threat Facing Us Today

question 216

Short Answer

Frisell says: The most important online threat facing us today is identity theft. Consumers have to rely on online shopping today more than ever, and they are exposed to all kinds of dangers by people gaining access to credit cards, bank information, and Social Security numbers. Identity theft is a lucrative "business," and identity thieves will keep finding new ways to rip off consumers as long as online shopping and transactions are widespread.
Scofield responds: Consumers have suffered from online theft, but the most far-reaching danger to people today from the internet is viruses and malware. These have the capacity to take down entire networks, affecting both businesses and consumers. It's not clear that anti-virus measures will ever be able to keep up with all of the threats that are out there.
Which of the following statements would Frisell most likely agree with?
Encryption software is the only way to protect consumers' identities.
Viruses do not pose a major problem to online security.
People have more choices in online shopping now than they used to.
Consumers should regularly check their credit reports and transactions.
Identity theft has always been a problem for consumers.

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Definitions:

Externality Problems

Issues arising from the impact of one person's actions on the well-being of a bystander, which are not reflected in market prices.

Marginal Benefit

The extra pleasure or advantage obtained from acquiring or generating an additional unit of a product or service.

Tax Cost

The economic expense associated with the imposition of taxes, including the burden on consumers or producers.

Resources Allocation

It involves distributing available resources among various competing needs or projects in order to achieve desired objectives or optimize outcomes.