Internet privacy has become a hot-button issue over the past decade. The Snowden revelations woke people up to the importance of this issue, but while the NSA and CIA get a ton of flack for prying into our lives, the companies we interact every day are just as guilty.
In this post, we’ll expose how corporations have misused data in the pursuit of higher profits, talk about how these practices can hurt you, and what you can do to protect yourself online.
Which companies have taken liberties with customer data?
Despite its motto ‘don’t be evil’ (which, ironically, was retired in May 2018), Google has shamelessly committed scores of privacy transgressions since its inception. From Street View cars which harvested unencrypted data off wi-fi networks to its cavalier disregard for the GDRP, an EU law designed to protect the data and privacy of Europeans, Google has constantly pushed the envelope with regards to data collection.
Facebook has also shown a great deal of disrespect for the personal privacy of its users. Back in its early days, PHP code became exposed, allowing savvy users to easily access information on private profiles.
The issues just kept on coming as the years rolled by. Likes and comments on friend’s posts showed up on the feeds of non-mutual friends. Facebook executives cooperated with the NSA as they brought the much-maligned PRISM program to life. To this day, they continue to freely hand over information to governments around the world with little (if any) protest.
The most shocking revelation of all came in 2017. It was revealed that Facebook knew about the sale of data from 87 million Facebook accounts from Global Science Research to Cambridge Analytica. This was the firm that used this data to craft the strategy that led to two major political upsets – Brexit and the election of Donald Trump.
Even ride-sharing apps got in on the action. In 2016, Uber got caught tracking the location of its users even when their app wasn’t in use. They also sold the personal information of their drivers to third-party companies, an action that resulted in a paltry $20,000 fine from the FTC (Federal Trade Commission).
Why is internet privacy such a big deal?
The lack of personal privacy in the digital age is starting to have grave consequences. As we mentioned earlier, the mass harvesting of data off Facebook allowed political campaigns to influence voters in unprecedented ways.
Had Cambridge Analytica not gotten access to the massive data set that it acquired from Global Science Research, it would have not been able to create the narrative that has led to the current political turmoil in America and the UK.
Thanks to lax privacy protections in America, we have to be mindful of what we put on the internet. Businesses routinely google the names of prospective hires to evaluate their personal lives. As a result, an entire industry – known as reputation management – has emerged to scrub the search results of anything objectionable about their clients.
Perhaps the most terrifying use of personal data: the plotting of crimes by domestic abusers, burglars, and other crooks. By utilizing information freely provided by many people, unsavoury characters can now anticipate whether their victims will be home or not.
Are there any laws governing internet privacy?
As privacy violations have escalated, public outrage has prompted governments around the world to act. The European Union has been the most aggressive entity on this file, passing the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2016.
It became law in May 2018, granting EU citizens fundamental online privacy rights like the right to know when their information has been compromised, the right to know how their data is being used, and the right to be forgotten (deleted from company servers).
Internet privacy protections are much weaker in America. Most related statutes date back to before the internet, and even these laws have come under steady attack by Republicans and corporate Democrats (such as the rules that used to stop ISPs from selling customer data).
Many businesses outsource to companies like Privacy Helper in order to go through their audit options and help them to ensure that all their privacy regulations are up to standard so no issues occur. If compliance is missing, the company can be charged with high penalties as well.
The strongest internet privacy laws in the United States can be found in California. In June 2018, the state passed the California Consumer Privacy Act, which contains many of the provisions found in the GDPR.
How can I protect my privacy online?
Unless you live in Europe, it’s up to us to take matters into our own hands. Start by downloading a VPN, or a Virtual Private Network. These programs will allow you to surf the net through an encrypted connection, making it nearly impossible for interlopers to know what you’re up to.
Conduct web searches using sites like DuckDuckGo. This search engine does not collect information about its users, thereby avoiding many of the issues people have with Google.
Next, consider making Tor or Firefox your primary web browser. Tor routes web traffic through several relays, making it extremely difficult for onlookers to know what you’re looking at. Firefox has anti-tracking features built into it, and it gives users the ability to download and install additional privacy plugins. Some Internet users might also make use of a free web proxy site that enables them to browse privately. This, too, could be an option to look at.
Finally, lock down any social media profiles you may have. Don’t share any info that gives away where you live or your current location. In Facebook, change privacy settings so that only friends can see your posts, and never approve friend requests from people you haven’t met in the flesh.
If you want more comprehensive explanations from specialist sites about privacy then you should look into Ruin my Search History’s guide.
By taking a few steps and using some common sense, we can stop our data from falling into the wrong hands. Corporations, governments, and criminals never take a day off – and neither should we.