5 Myths About Online Data Privacy and the Truth Behind Them
We live in a digital age, and we leave a digital footprint everywhere, whether we like it or not. As time goes on, there are growing concerns about the security of the data we share on the Internet. Whenever we google something, shop for something, or use social media, we leave some of our data behind. Even the smallest trace can expose us to hackers, data leaks, or other malicious actions.
With these concerns in mind, there are some services available to help with these issues. Individuals can delete personal information from Google or remove their data by using tools. VPNs are used to hide your online activity but cannot protect you from all leaks. Even with these tools people still believe in myths about online data. These widely believed myths mislead users by giving them false hope of security. Users should stay informed and take steps to guard their data.
Myths
We will explore the 5 most popular myths about online data privacy and the truth behind them. It is important to note that each person leaves a unique trace so requests for data removal from the internet are important for every individual. There’s a solution for every problem.
1) Myth About Incognito Mode
It is widely believed that incognito mode makes your whole browsing history private and that everything you do is anonymous. The reality of incognito mode is very different.
Incognito does not make you an invisible user, it only stops the browser from saving history, cookies, and site data. Your activity can still be tracked through your Wi-Fi provider, websites, or third-party advertisers. VPN can be of great help as it hides your online activity. You can also activate ad-blockers which will make your activity harder to track.
2) Deleting Social Media Posts Makes Them Disappear Forever
Most social media users believe that once they delete what they posted, it is gone forever. It does not matter if that refers to comments, posts, or messages.
However, that is not a fact. Although yes, some posts may be gone forever, most of it is not. These can exist in website backups, servers, or in someone else’s saved copies. Some sites may even keep copies of your data for legal or advertising purposes. You can ask data removal services to find such information on all kinds of sites and request the removal of the data.
3) “I’m Safe as Long As I Use Well-Known Sites”
There’s a common belief that if you visit only well-known sites you will be safe from hackers and malicious malware.
While it is true that reputable sites are less likely to host content that may be a threat, no site is immune to a breach. Data breaches have become a regular thing that happens on all scales.
4) “I don’t Have Any Important Data to Lose”
People often think that there is no useful data that can be stolen or used that we can offer. People think just because they are not high-profit or celebrity that their data is not useful or important.
However, everyone’s data is useful. Even little traces that are left can be used maliciously for example for identity theft which can lead to more serious crimes or your data can be sold for marketing purposes.
5) “A Strong Password is Enough to Protect Me”
Many people think that having strong passwords is enough to keep them safe. They believe that their accounts are secure and indestructible but the truth is different.
Having strong passwords is highly advantageous but it is not simply enough to keep your profiles safe. Even the most complex passwords can be hacked through, especially if they are reused on other sites.
VPN is a useful tool to have. It can hide some of your online activity and place different IPs on sites used. VPN is great to have if you are using public Wi-Fis as it encrypts your activity. You should also implement ad-blockers.
Conclusion
In a digital world where our data is constantly a risk, it is important to take steps to protect ourselves. We should inform ourselves about myths and how they affect our use of the internet. A false sense of security may lead us to data leaks and hacking. As we have to be aware of our surroundings in the real world, the same dangers may await us in the digital too.
By taking steps to guard our data we should use tools to regularly scan for our data. Implementing VPNs, ad-blockers, and data removal services we can monitor our data and activity. Staying alert in this world is a must. You can scan for data, and remove your data from the internet with data removal services, while a VPN can hide and encrypt your activity.
These steps are just some of the ways you can guard your information. All data is valuable for all kinds of purposes.
