In the News
More and more companies and apps are incorporating privacy measures for user data. In Tinder finally encrypted everyone’s photos, Ashley Carman discusses Tinder’s decision to encrypt all user photos. Carman explains that this new encryption comes in the wake of a previous vulnerability that left users’ pictures and account history exposed to hackers. Carman also states that Tinder changed the size of a swipe action so that a left and a right swipe now use the same amount of data making it difficult to track a user’s Tinder actions through side channel attacks.
Our Take
In the digital age, it is important to know that what you share online is as secure and private as it can be. Encryption on account information seems like it should be a given considering the number of users and the nature of a site like Tinder, but such safety precautions are not always taken. Tinder’s steps to enable encryption for user information is a positive step towards ensuring user privacy. This is especially important where unsecured personal information can lead to threats to a user’s physical safety, as happens when photos and location are leaked.
Recommendations
So how can you protect your privacy on social media accounts?
- Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world and only share what you have to
- When uploading photos, be aware of the backgrounds of images: can someone track your habits or current location based on your photos? Are there others in the photo who may not be comfortable with their location or appearance being shared?
- Be smart about what you post on dating apps and other social media sites –what you post leaves a permanent trail
- Stay up to date on news covering recent security breaches or security failure to see if you may have been affected