Online users are incredibly vulnerable to security threats, and there is a long list of ramifications associated with their safety. Hereby we are discussing only the major issues concerning online privacy. This topic can of course be more divisive. The fact is that internet privacy has always mattered not only in social media times but the only difference between the last decade and now is that online threats and data breaches have escalated 10 times compared to the past. That’s not a good number nor a great time to be heading online without security measures. Cybercriminals and online data sellers in fact leave no stone unturned when it comes to make a profit out of data stealing and recollection, because that’s what is it all about at the end of day, to support and make thrive growing and flourishing market.
Internet privacy is becoming a growing concern these days for people all over the world. Companies track users behaviors across websites to serve them with highly relevant advertisements, making it essential for them to have an encrypted online connection notably through a VPN. Instant connectivity has changed the way we live and work for the better on one hand, but on the other this convenience comes at a high price: the privacy! That’s why it has become more important than ever to take responsibility for protecting Internet our privacy and personal information. But what is this privacy all about? Internet privacy basically refers to the personal privacy that you’re entitled to when you store provide or display information regarding yourself on the Internet.
This can include both personally-identifying information (PII) and non-personally-identifying information, such as your behavior on a website. Without Internet privacy, all your activities are subject to being collected and analyzed by interested third parties!. When you are online, you are spied by a number of trackers for various purposes. Trackers keep a record of your search history and track all your online activities through various means. This provides them a clear picture of who you are and your interests, which is a breach of online privacy policy and makes you a public property. This thing has now a name and it has been proved as a recurrent tool used by most search engines analytics and online marketing companies, and it is called micro-behavioral targeting. Most of the time, this tracking is for advertisement purposes and it allows advertisers to show ads according to your taste and interests. But sometimes this information is also used in the meantime by cybercriminals to carry out unauthorized and illegal activities that could jeopardize your online experience through mischievous actions and intentions.
There are various sites on the internet that need your personal information to get access to their services. These sites often store cookies and save your personal information and later use it for various purposes. Most of the time this information is not encrypted and can be accessed by anyone. This mishandling of personal information may lead to serious consequences. The modern trend of e-banking and e-business portals have multiplied the risks associated with online privacy. By sharing your bank details and crucial files on the internet, you are paving ways for burglars and making yourself vulnerable to cybercriminals.
How much of our personal information are we willing to give up for the promise of a safer online experience? Let’s take for instance research done by the American think tank Pewresearch in 2019 with the aim of identifying U.S citizens feelings about data collection and privacy violation. According to this study most Americans believe their online and offline activities are being tracked and monitored by companies and the government on a regular basis. It is such a common condition of modern life that roughly six-in-ten U.S. adults say they do not think it is possible to go through daily life without having data collected about them by companies or the government.
Majority of Americans feel as if they have little control over data collected about them by companies and the government. Data-driven products and services are often marketed with the potential to save users time and money or even lead to better health and well-being. Still, large shares of U.S. adults are not convinced they benefit from this system of widespread data gathering. Some 81% of the public say that the potential risks they face because of data collection by companies outweigh the benefits, and 66% say the same about government data collection. At the same time, a majority of Americans report being concerned about the way their data is being used by companies (79%) or the government (64%). Most also feel they have little or no control over how these entities use their personal information, according to a new survey of U.S. adults by Pew Research Center that explores how Americans feel about the state of privacy in the nation.
Americans’ concerns about digital privacy extend to those who collect, store, use and potentially share their personal information. Additionally, majorities of the public are not confident that corporations are good stewards of the data they collect. For example, 79% of Americans say they are not too or not at all confident that companies will admit mistakes and take responsibility if they misuse or compromise personal information, and 69% report having this same lack of confidence that firms will use their personal information in ways they will be comfortable with.
Ultimately, digital privacy relates to any rights that we have in the usage of our personal data and information. Online safety refers to how our data is protected and potentially used. It can be a little confusing, but the privacy paradox isn’t something that everyday people are taking lightly any more – you just have to look at the backlash that Facebook and its platforms WhatsApp and Instagram have faced. And while the technology can surely help fraud and impersonation, several complaints have been filed in recent years not only in the U.S accusing different companies of creating and storing scans of faces without permission.
Alessia Lorenzon
