Consumers around the world are concerned about how companies and their governments process their personal data, and some of them are doing something about it.
According to the results of a malware survey released Wednesday, 89% are worried that companies are inappropriately accessing and using their data, while 72% are worried that the government is doing the same. The security software company’s Pulse survey conducted a survey of 1,500 readers of newsletters from around the world between March 17 and 27 this year.
The result follows a few recent incidents that have caused how much personal consumer data collected and stored by companies and governments, as well as security and privacy concerns related to it.
23AndMe’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing in March challenges what could happen to its massive private consumer data, including millions of genetic samples and test reports.
Meanwhile, a coalition of labor organizations led by the American Federation of Teachers filed a lawsuit in February accusing President Donald Trump’s administration of violating federal privacy laws when it granted the Department of Efficiency (also known as Doge) led by Elon Musk, the government’s efficiency division, which accessed personal information about tens of millions of Americans without consent.
In a 2-1 vote, the federal appeals court held a ban on Monday that banned Musk and multiple people from accessing Americans’ private data from the Treasury Department and the Education Department and the Office of Personnel Management. It also sets an expedited timetable for appeals and will hear oral debates on May 5.
The survey also found that the rise of AI technology has also kept consumers treated, with 89% of those surveyed saying they care about data used by unconsensual AI.
Faced with these concerns, some people under investigation say they are doing everything they can to protect their data and grab some digital privacy. More than 40% say they have stopped using Tiktok, Instagram or X, while 26% say they have stopped using the fertility or during the tracking app.
In addition, 75% of those surveyed said they “opt out of data collection” where possible, while 23% said they have used data deletion services to delete their easily accessible personal data from the internet.
Although they don’t cover everything, these steps can be a good start. Here are more tips for protecting your data privacy.
How to make your private data private
Set your password. Long, random and unique passwords are the best. Even if it’s great, don’t try to recycle the old ones. Yes, this may be a lot worth dealing with. This is where password managers come from. They will make memories for you.
Turn on two-factor authentication. This technique also requires the use of a second identifier (such as your fingerprint, notification via application, or physical key code). If your password is compromised, this will be of great help in protecting you.
Think twice before sharing. When they sign up for an online account or store’s rewards program, many people won’t think twice before handing over their date of birth or mailing address, but you should. That’s because you never know where it might be. It can be stolen from data breaches or sold to a data broker, which theoretically makes it accessible to anyone.
This is also true Artificial intelligence tools, etc.. Anything you enter into AI will become part of AI and you won’t restore it. Put your personal details in it.
Shopping online as a guest. It may take several minutes each time you enter your shipping and payment information, but it prevents that information from being stored in the company’s system. Moreover, after completing the online service, please ask your account and related data, if possible, please delete it permanently. Data that no longer exists cannot be stolen or sold.
Consider VPN. For most websites (especially those that handle financial or personal information), now encrypted, security experts are not so crazy to recommend virtual private networks for ordinary people. But they are useful for people who stay away from the usual network. But be careful when choosing one. Free VPNs are often a bad idea because they are more likely to use their customers’ data to make money.
Pay close attention to your account. Monitor your bank and credit accounts for potential fraudulent fees. If you do not wish to apply for credit anytime soon, freeze your credit report. If the company provides you with free credit monitoring due to a data breach or for any other reason, please sign up.
Lock your social media account. Make sure that the only “friend” you share information with is your actual friend. Even then, be careful what you disclose. Seemingly harmless information, such as the make and model of your first car or the primary school you attend, can be used to hack your passwords, as these facts are often used in security checks.
Review your login and application. Use Facebook or Google to automatically log in to your apps and websites so they can access more data. Think twice before doing this. No more use of the application? Delete it and then access it to the data you agreed to share when you first downloaded it.
Update everything. This is not only for your operating system and antivirus software. Your router, applications and all of these smart devices also need to be up to date. Patches to fix bugs and security issues, to no avail if you don’t install them. If you don’t know how to update your router, call your ISP or check online.
