How to protect your data online

Each day, we all churn out a sizable amount of digital data into cyberspace as long as we are connected to the internet.

Should you be concerned? Experts suggest you should. The fact is, your personal information is of high value to legitimate organizations as well as malicious actors. For them, data presents countless monetization options, often at your expense.

Therefore, understanding the potential dangers and how you could protect your data online is critical for both your safety and privacy.

Why safeguard your personal data?

For cybercriminals, personal information is invaluable for committing a variety of financial scams. For instance, they could steal money from your online bank accounts when they gain access to your login credentials. They can also file false tax returns with the help of your tax ID details.

The data-led possibilities for crimes are limitless. This explains why there are increased attempts by criminals to access personally identifiable information (PII). In 2023, data compromises alone took a new high, rising by nearly 78% YoY to reach 3,205.

Phishing attacks, malware, and hacking can all expose your PII to theft, risking your safety.

But, it is not just scammers who stand to gain from confidential and identifiable records. They can benefit legitimate businesses as well.

For example, an app developer could improve a mobile application and encourage more downloads by tracking how users engage with it. An e-commerce website could make product recommendations and drive more sales by identifying the type of items customers browse.

All these have the potential to jeopardize your privacy while creating monetization opportunities for organizations.

There is another risk that arises from such data-collecting practices: Many organizations don’t just accumulate user information. They sell it to third parties, too. Sometimes, what they amass can get inadvertently leaked into public domains. As a result, you could face various safety threats—from scams to doxxing and even extortion.

How can you protect your data online?

Data privacy in the digital space demands a few deliberate measures.

Here’s what you should know.

Strengthen the security of your online accounts

Every account you set up, whether on social media, a digital banking platform, or an e-commerce site, requires password protection.

Security experts recommend longer passwords that use a hard-to-guess combination of alphabetical, numerical, and symbol-based characters.

Most platforms also offer two-factor authentication that generates a random passcode each time you log in. By using this feature, you can mitigate the vulnerabilities associated with regular passwords.

Prevent data tracking

Businesses can track your data on a variety of platforms and tools, including online accounts, websites, apps, and browsers. And there is no telling where the information they collect on these could end up.

To prevent intrusive data-tracking practices,

• Go to your Privacy settings and turn off services that require data collection. For example, disable GPS and opt out of product recommendations.
• Avoid apps that request access to personal information, such as your location and contact lists.
• Reject cookies whenever possible.
• Delete the search history, cookies, and cache from your browser at regular intervals. Don’t forget to deactivate the password-saving, auto-suggest, and auto form-fill features.

Install a virtual private network

A VPN can encrypt your network data and conceal your IP address, providing you with greater privacy when you are accessing the internet.

Keep your online profiles private

Many social media platforms allow users to determine who can check their profile pages and activities.

If you choose the “public visibility” option, anyone, from data scrapers to scammers, can view your page. However, with the “private” mode, you can limit access to those in your network.

Some networking sites also enable account holders to hide their profiles from search engines. It is worthwhile to make use of this feature if it is available.

(Image credit) Avoid unnecessary data sharing

Scammers can target you for crimes based on what you voluntarily share online on social media, personal websites, blogs, emails, and similar online channels. Therefore, keeping your personal data private on the internet is imperative for your safety.

• Avoid disclosing identifiable details, such as email addresses, in exchange for gifts and discounts.
• Be wary of surveys and competitions that phish for sensitive data.
• Ignore emails and messages with unverified links and attachments that could potentially take you to phishing sites.
• Always verify who you are dealing with before interacting with strangers online.

Choose secure connections

Various security weaknesses in internet networks could expose your data to cyber criminals.

So, adopt strong passwords for your home internet connection to prevent third-party intrusions. Also, remember to avoid unsecured Wi-Fi networks when you need to access the internet in a public location.

Opt for credible sources

Bad actors could often disguise themselves as digital service providers to steal user data that could be of value.

To avoid such threats,

• Stay away from malicious or unsecured websites that are more likely to install malware.
• Never access web pages using unverified links shared in emails, DMs, and online ads. If you need to visit a specific website, find its address from a credible source and type it straight onto your browser’s URL bar.
• Download applications from a well-known app store and never rely on emails and random websites to find and install mobile apps.
• Source software for your devices from original developers, not third-party sources. Be wary of software without sufficient or reliable user reviews.

Minimize your digital data footprint

When you have fewer data online, you have less to worry about.

To identify your data footprint, run a name search on Google. This will help you understand what information about you is available on the internet. After that, start removing any material that could compromise your safety one day.

• Review and delete unnecessary content you have published on networking sites, forums, blogs, and similar platforms.
• Request third-party sites to remove personal information that could put you at risk.
• Find and close accounts you no longer use. Before closing them, however, Nuwber recommends first deleting the data on these accounts to remove all data trails.

Key takeaways

If you are not careful, your digital footprint can get you into trouble with scammers, extortionists, and other criminals. Therefore, taking measures to protect your data on the internet is imperative for your safety and privacy.

Securing online accounts using passwords, preventing third-party data tracking, installing a VPN, keeping your online profiles private, and avoiding unnecessary data sharing are essential practices for this.

In addition, remember to use secure internet connections, opt for credible sources for digital products and services, and proactively reduce your data footprint.

Featured image credit: George Becker/Pexels.