How safe is your digital life? Do you use private browsers? Do you keep your passwords secure in the note app on your phone? When those annoying cookies pop up on a website for you to accept them, do you just click yes and go on about your day? All of these different things are either not enough or can harm your digital privacy. Companies, websites, and different platforms collect your information quietly and build your own profile without your knowledge. Our life in the digital age is growing and protecting our privacy needs to become mandatory, not optional.
The Harm of No Digital Privacy
Losing your digital privacy could significantly hurt you. Once your personal business is online, it is gone. Post that you have out can be copied, and data can be collected and sold to third parties. This can cause what is called a digital footprint. This can affect job opportunities, how you see political views, decisions on purchasing items, and how certain information is present to you online. As Quigley explains, “results in a lack of agency and control among users.” Not having digital privacy can truly hurt how you see the world through social media or any other platform online because most people do not know how to protect their digital privacy.
Simple Tips to Protect Your Privacy
Protecting your privacy is not about having something to hide from your family, friends, bosses, or peers. It is about maintaining control and not feeling vulnerable to the attack of manipulation or misinformation. Some simple tips and tricks you can do to help your privacy are to be mindful of what you post, read the privacy policies, manage your cookies settings, review the permission you give to apps, and simply educate yourself and if you can others.
Conclusion
Digital Privacy is a societal issue, not just an individual problem. We must start to protect our schools, workplaces, and government from harm as our relying on platforms grows. Remember to protect your privacy means to protect yourself.
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