Some people feel like there is always a nosy onlooker peeping at their computer screens in the library.
With the existence of personal IP addresses, such glimpses are possible. But at Duke, at least, policies are in place to assuage Internet users about their privacy fears.
"The simple answer to your question is that the University does not keep records of what you view over the Internet," said Steve O'Donnell, senior communications strategist for the Office of Information Technology.
There are a few instances, however, in which a company could reveal user identities-indicating that the policy is not always simple.
"There are records on the Web sites you visit of your IP address, but those records are not maintained by the University," O'Donnell said.
Computers are required to be registered on the Duke wireless network, which assigns a computer an IP address.
IP addresses were used by the Recording Industry Association of America to identify students who were illegally downloading music over the Internet, O'Donnell said. The University no longer supplies IP addresses to the RIAA.
"If you did a transaction today, we would have an IP address from your computer and a location of what transmitter or server that information was sent to," said Larry Moneta, vice president for student affairs.
Both the school and the Web sites visited have these IP addresses in their records. The IP addresses from both sources can be matched to establish one's identity.
Generally, this information is used only by law enforcement officials to identify who is visiting Web sites for evidence in criminal proceedings.
"If the authorities brought us a subpoena issued in a North Carolina court saying, 'We have this IP address, give us the name of this person,' we would be legally required to do so," Moneta said.
While the University can reveal an IP-linked identity in order to help authorities prove that certain Web sites were visited, they cannot disclose the content of what was viewed online because the Office of Information Technology does not maintain those records.
"My understanding is that when it comes to most universities, there is no monitoring of what their students view online," said Owen Astracha, professor of the practice of computer science and co-director of undergraduate studies for the department. "There would be serious legal and constitutional issues for any college monitoring what their students view."
Information is largely safe from intrusion by hackers and third-parties because of the high number of safeguards used by OIT, O'Donnell said.
Yet other members of the Duke network may be able to view information "packets" sent by a computer through the Internet. Packets work similarly to sending a 10-page letter by one page in one envelope at a time. When all the envelopes, or "packets," arrive at the intended computer, the message is re-configured.
"On a wireless network, if a Duke student wanted to look at a data packet sent by another student, it is feasible," Astrachan said, but he added that intercepting this data is difficult and not worth giving much thought to. "If you are on the Internet and you are worried about your privacy, then get off."
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