How is the advent of technology violating our right to data privacy every day?

Over the years, people have relied on VPN, Tor, and encryption to protect their online privacy. As the technologies of protection have evolved, so have those of snooping and spying. Technology is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it helps secure our homes and provide us with one-step shopping options. On the other hand, it makes our sensitive data vulnerable to surveillance systems and spyware.

We divulge small bits of private information every day while shopping online, updating our status on social network sites and sending emails to our colleagues. These are some unavoidable actions people have to complete irrespective of the looming threat. The only way to secure your data while transacting online or exchanging emails is by opting for a VPN service. Although a VPN will not give you complete anonymity, it will help you keep your data safe by creating a private tunnel through between you and the recipient of your emails. It keeps third-parties at bay and protects the users from unwarranted snooping.

Irrespective of the state-of-the-art Vpn service you have selected for your protection, you need to stay away from a couple of new-age techs. Here is a brief list of those technologies and the reasons you should avoid them the most –

Mobile applications

Whether it a ride-sharing app or a shopping app, every one of them wants access to your contacts, location, and camera. They not only pry into your personal choices, but they also store extensive personal data including your home address, billing information, and card/account details. It is impossible to get quick service without offering a slice of your privacy in return. What do you think they can do with all the data? We are not trying to imbue paranoia, but that is how advertisers know what cosmetics you might want to buy, which brand of contraceptives you prefer or which dining restaurants you might like! These third-party apps are notorious for selling data to government surveillance teams. Keep them out of your mobile phones and PCs as much as possible.

Facial recognition technology

There are security cameras everywhere. They might be the source of countless funny videos, but that does not take away the seriousness of 24x7 surveillance. It is like living in an episode of the Person of Interest! The traffic cameras, cameras in your office lounge, shopping malls and even your mobile phone capture a person’s every move. With the high density of cameras, the state can easily find out where a person is at any time. It is quite impossible for people to go on with daily life by avoiding all cameras and any attempt to deceive the cameras is a sign of defiance. It is smart to avoid places that allow access in exchange for biometrics and facial recognition only. Avoid phone locks that rely on facial recognition as much as possible. We can only hope that the situation changes for the better!

Ethical technology is still a vague concept. The line between the convenience of the consumer and violation of their privacy is becoming blurry with each passing day. Apart from being vigilant against the attempts of obtaining personal information without permission, always try to use reliable VPN services that do not sell client data to third parties.