The internet may be spying on you, but you can take action to maintain your digital security
From likes and comments to shares and retweets, social media has a way of wrapping its users into a never ending cycle of scrolling, judging, closing the app, and moving on to the next. A few simple notifications are enough to suck us in and the abundance of content keeping us up to speed with all our friends and acquaintances is more than enough to make us stay.
And while platforms like Instagram and TikTok are a great way to stay in touch, they certainly have their downsides. One of the biggest cons of social media platforms is the amount of data they collect on their users. What you think is just a few taps on a screen is actually enough for companies to build out your entire digital persona allowing for more targeted, addicting content.
Maybe that’s why one out of every two people say they don’t trust social media sites with their personal data in a recent survey by Grand Canyon University. While it’s becoming more and more challenging to maintain personal privacy thanks to the internet, there are certain steps you can take to double down on security.
The obvious path would be to delete social media altogether. Unfortunately, that’s not a realistic option for many. Despite the countless negative side effects of social media, we can’t discount the fact that it’s become ingrained in society and for good reasons. Still, we can be smart consumers and take control of our digital footprint.
The best way to do this is being more aware of what specific information the various platforms you use are collecting on you. There’s a reason they make you agree to excessively long terms and conditions before entering the site. No one has time to read those jargon filled contracts, but a small amount of independent research should give you the answers you need.
And don’t limit it to solely social media platforms. Think of all of the sites you frequent on the internet – from online shopping to games and everything in between. Social media platforms aren’t the only ones with all eyes on their consumers.
From there, decide what platforms are truly worth keeping in your rotation. You may be able to cut back – or cut out entirely – the ones that are raising the most security concerns and providing the least benefits.
