Tiara McGhee
Reporter
From the phones in our pockets to the tablets and computers in our backpacks, growing up in the “age of technology” is a double-edged sword. Using the Internet is a daily activity for students, but most don’t stop to think about what happens to the information that’s gathered about them when they go online.
This has been a banner year for data breaches in the United States, with more already reported than in all of 2020. The Identity Theft Resource Center reported that more than 280 million people have had their data compromised so far this year, both from data breaches and unsecured cloud data.
Dr. Barry Smith, chair of the Department of Communication at Mississippi University for Women, said everyone should remember that their information is constantly being collected online.
“Any time you’re connected to the Internet or an app, you’re sharing information. Users probably know that Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp and other social media platforms capture everything you upload,” he said. “But many apps and sites also capture location data and usage data, as well. All of this information is used to create profiles of users that can then be used to advertise to the users and also to sell directly to users.”
Smith stressed that when people use an app or a web site, they are trusting the companies to handle their information responsibly.
“Not only are you trusting that the company won’t abuse your personal data, you are also trusting the company to stay safe from hackers who want to steal your data,” he said.
While many data breaches include information such as credit card numbers or log in information, there are multiple other ways that information is shared, including location reporting, online tracking, and even through wearable devices. For instance, if someone wears a fitness tracker or smart watch, it is also collecting data in addition to what is collected by your phone. This can include location, heart rate and other information that someone might not want to share.
This has led some people to be more cautious with their cybersecurity to protect their privacy.
“I think it’s important to consider privacy on the Internet in all settings, because personal information is bound to slip through the cracks with how much time we, as young adults, spend on the Internet,” said Will Porter, an Engineering major at Mississippi State University. “The Internet is too good to be true. Everything searched and posted on the Internet is saved and can potentially be used against you in the future.”
Most information uploaded to social media sites and blogs won’t ever go away, which means that students should be careful what they post. Potential employers now routinely look at social media when considering making a job hire.
“Users should generally assume that everything they post online is going to be there forever,” Smith said.
So, what steps can students take to better protect their information and privacy? Erasing cookies after visiting web sites is a good way, but it also means that people will have to log in at sites every time, which many find cumbersome and slow. Plus, the site won’t remember personal information, such as items that were placed in a shopping cart, a complied list of information to look at later, or preferences that were checked on the site. There are also laws designed to protect privacy, such as the recently enacted General Data Protection Regulation (or GDPR) from the European Union. This law is why so many sites started asking users to allow or deny cookies to be set when you visit a website.
“However, hackers don’t care about the law. Even if the site you’re using is trying to do everything right, the site could still be attacked and give up your information,” Smith warned.
If people take steps to limit their risk online, there are other ways that information might also be collected that don’t involve surfing the Internet.
“Another source of information that might be concerning from a privacy perspective is video and audio captured by devices like video doorbells (such as Ring) and smart speakers (such as Amazon’s Echo),” Smith said.
For instance, police departments around the nation, including the Columbus Police Department, now routinely use Ring doorbell video when investigating crimes.
The world is now wired for information, which makes it convenient to keep in touch, do research and buy things online. However, that convenience comes with a price, and users should take care to protect their information and privacy from potential misuse.