Learn to Protect Your Data

With increasing innovations in technology, people are constantly being tracked and their data collected. From our phones, computers, websites, and even our home appliances, our data is constantly being gathered and studied. This data is being dissected and used to advertise to us or track our behaviors. We may not realize it, but every place we visit and what we say, like or save online, post about, or check into is being collected and studied for corporate use. As consumers we need to be aware of how we can protect our information. We need to be careful with what we share online and on our devices.

We can protect our data in a number of ways. Encrypting your data is an effective way to hide your information. There are now online tools available to help you do this or you can buy software to manually encrypt your data. Another way is by turning off your devices completely when not in use and never joining any wifi networks you are unsure about. Keeping your devices on can allow hackers to steal or access your data without you knowing, turning off your devices keep you and your data safe by cutting off access to spyware. Using certified software be it mobile operating systems or a visitor management system at work, will all go a long way to ensuring your security.

Also remember to constantly check your device settings after having updated any software or applications on your devices. Doing so will keep what information you want to keep hidden protected. New updates often restore settings to its original state, you must manually change the settings back to your preferences each time.

Be careful of what you install on your devices. Some software may carry viruses or malware meant to steal data. It is also wise to be cautious with what you post or share online. Anything you write can be easily tracked and collected and sold to companies for advertising reasons. Additionally, there are some devices in your home that are gathering data without your knowledge. For example, your Google or Amazon devices are collecting information every time you search for something or watch something on Youtube. This information is collected and used by corporations to advertise to you. You may even notice that sometimes what you talk about amongst friends often finds its way as advertisements on your devices. With all the possibilities of being infiltrated, it can seem like there is no way to completely protect yourself. However, if you are careful with what information you share online and how you use it, you can protect yourself and your data.

Be smart with your presence online. Learn what information to share and safeguard yourself from your devices.