In My Opinion

I believe that privacy are a person’s natural rights; this being said, everyone should be informed on the current laws of their country and the policies of any websites they use. After obtaining this information, it is easier and makes more sense to take a stand against anything that is unethical and inappropriate.

Personally, I don’t think privacy online exists anymore. Once your data is on the internet, someone has access to it. The way to control your privacy is through who you trust to protect your data. While it is virtually impossible to keep your information from being compromised (assuming it hasn’t already been), there are many steps every internet-user should execute to keep their data safe. Even if someone is not concerned about the type of information on the internet about them, they should still take significant precautions to protect their devices from being hacked.

After looking at multiple sources, I believe that everyone should:

  1. Avoid using unsecure networks. When you log onto a public domain without any protection, any information on your device is available to others on the network. This includes wifi at restaurants and retail stores.
  2. Go through and actually read and edit your privacy settings. For most people, social media has the majority of your data already on it. If you wish not to be tracked, you have to turn off personally tailored ads, and avoid using third-party sections, like the games on Facebook. This will ensure you know which parts of your data are being saved.
  3. Don’t click on ANY outside links from unknown users via email or text (even if you are attempting to unsubscribe). This will allow your information to be transferred on a greater scale.
  4. Disable cookies. While most sites use them, I personally feel safer with cookies off knowing that cookies are a vehicle to share personal information “relevant to the site”.
  5. Change your passwords frequently, and use many different characters. While this sounds cliche, it simply just makes sense. Most of the time, your accounts have information that link them to one another, so if one is compromised, the others have a lower chance with a different password.

Safety Honorable Mentions:

  1. Clear your search & data history on all applications (Google, Twitter, etc.)
  2. Cover your cameras on devices (and your headphone jack if you’re feeling up for it). While nothing problematic has occurred with this yet, Mark Zuckerberg does it… which means you probably have a reason to also.
  3. Use Verified Private Network (VPN) systems when unsure of a network’s stability or privacy.

However, there is a lot more that goes into privacy than just the internet. Such a broad topic is difficult to sum up in one statement, but I believe that protection of privacy always leads to a solution for the greater good. Whether this means allowing people to work in taboo professions, giving young minds the resources to be independent, or approving of the acceptance of all religions, it does not matter to me. A world in which every individual’s right is protected is a world that I want to live in. I personally hope to see more growth in discussion of what privacy means in different aspects of international culture, as well as what it means for each person.