This is often the argument while discussing mobile and data privacy, “I don’t mind because I am not doing anything wrong.” Many people also say that privacy is a myth. But is this perception really true? Let us understand that technology can monitor your every activity, and it does not mean just to show you advertisement.
Awareness about data privacy in India is very low. People often do not hesitate to share their base information with anyone, while this Aadhaar is necessary for data privacy. If cyber criminals get your Aadhaar and other information, then they can vacate your account. Such reports keep coming.
Why are scams like digital arrests growing?
Why do cyber criminals arrested people so easily? This is because for years people have been sharing their data with anyone. Cyber criminals are very slow in getting organized. They work on data sets for years and then use it. This means that if your data was leaked five years ago, you may be cheated today or next year. Because your data can ever go into the hands of a cyber criminal.
How is the phone being threatened by itself? Your conversation, your data
You mention a product or place from your friends. Soon, you see advertisements related to that product or place on social media. This is called targeted advertisement. But is it limited to advertisements only? Large companies like Google and Amazon have already accepted that they listen to the conversation, sometimes through their employees. This means that someone is listening to you.
Unnecessary apps are dangerous
Your phone will probably have dozens of apps that you have not used for months, but they are reaching your data every day. People often download the apps for a particular purpose and forget to delete them, even if they do not use them daily. Because once installed, they make access to your data forever.
Digital tracking is not just advertising
Microfone, camera and location permissions given to apps store and process your data. Many apps demand excessive permissions. For example:
Microphone access for shopping apps; Location tracking for payment apps. These apps store and sell your data. This gives companies a chance to earn profits, but malicious people can use it for blackmailing and cybercrime.
Google has been sued earlier as well, in which he had admitted to recording a conversation to improve speech recognition. However, there is no specific responsibility for small apps, and their server is unknown.
How dangerous can your data be?
Blackmailing and cybercrime can be easily done against you.
The possibility of financial fraud will increase considerably as someone has stored all your data.
Anyone can easily violate your privacy.
Bulk data trading
User data on the dark web is sold at very high prices. The price depends on how sensitive the data is. Here not just a user’s data, but the data of millions of users is bought and sold. Cyber criminals buy this data at high prices and then gradually cheat people.
Who sells your data?
This problem started with the idea that you give a lot of permission to an app without thinking. Sometimes, app publishers themselves collect and sell user data. Or, if a company’s data is leaked, the culprits sell it.
How to avoid this?
Only give microphone and camera access to the necessary apps. Each app canceled the required permissions manually. This feature is available in both Android and iPhone. You can remove permissions by going to settings and choosing the app in the apps section.
Do not use any publisher apps that you do not trust. Find the apps you want to download on Google and read their reviews.
Regular checking of app permissions and remove unnecessary apps. Also, keep in mind which apps you no longer use. Immediately remove them from your phone.
There are also tools that tell you which apps you have not used for a long time. Some also work to remove your information from the Internet. These can remove your data from the database of any app. However, they are not free and they may cost a lot of money.
If this has happened to you, please tell us in the comments.
