In the News
How do you compare to many Americans in your digital privacy knowledge? In Most Americans Are Clueless About Private Browsing, Sarah Coble at InfoSecurity Magazine discusses the lack of deep expertise relating to digital privacy and privacy trends. Coble elaborates that the majority of survey respondents knew that they allow cookies when browsing and that phishing is prevalent on social media platforms. However, she states that less than 25% knew the true definition of private browsing and less than 30% were able to identify multifactor authentication options.
Our Take
Even though the knowledge of digital privacy, security, and online scams has increased dramatically in recent years, the lack of real understanding about this industry can hurt consumers. Even if a feature has the word ‘private’ such as private browsing in the name, the depth of the privacy that the feature affords cannot be assumed. Companies use these buzzwords to increase consumer trust and users. A company rarely creates and implements new and impressive security/privacy features out of solely altruistic motives. Unfortunately, the true meaning and scope of the security/privacy features are often difficult to identify because it is hidden in user policy agreements or only accessible on particular pages of their settings. Consumers must research the privacy features rolled out by companies and platforms to use them with the correct expectations.
Recommendations
How can you better protect your personal information in the digital age?
- Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world, and only share what you have to
- Carefully read the privacy and data policy before accepting and creating any new account
- Utilize security settings on smart devices and turn them off when they are not in use
- Understand the legal rights and practices of companies that store your data