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Data Never Really Deleted

In the News  

Social media and data misuse have become more and more intertwined. In Twitter has been storing your ‘deleted’ DMs for years, Chaim Gartenberg at The Verge discusses how Twitter retains personal messages even after a user thinks they have deleted them. Gartenberg explains that Twitter stores all of these messages. 

Our Take  

The issue with this revelation is the lack of transparency by Twitter. Users were under the impression that they could choose whether or not to delete their messages, giving them a sense of autonomy on the platform. However, we have now learned that this is not the case. With the issue of data misuse and data security so prominent in the news, it is disheartening to learn that a large social media company has been misleading its users about their data policies. It is crucial that companies clearly state their data storage policies. Unfortunately, this is not the reality of the world that we live inThis places a responsibility on every user to act cautiously with the information they put online. Following the assumption that nothing sent online can be deleted is always a safe bet in ensuring that your information stays private and within your control. 

Recommendations  

How can you protect your personal information while using social media platforms?   

  • Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world, and only share what you have to    
  • Be aware of default settings on social media platforms that automatically back up photos, files, and other potentially sensitive information to the Cloud. Use privacy settings when they are available   
  • Use safe password practices, and take advantage of Multi-factor Authentication where possible    
  • Refrain from sharing highly sensitive information through online messaging platforms 

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