Privacy on the Internet Is a Myth: Here’s Why!

The 2010s saw the eradication of the difference between “online” and “real life”. With about half of the world’s population using the internet, the internet is an extension of the real world. However, it’s a grave mistake to think that personal privacy on the internet is the same as privacy offline.

Your privacy on the internet is always in a small state of jeopardy. Whereas your files offline might be stuffed in your desk that no one can get to, a clever hacker online can easily reach in and find your personal information.

This article will walk you through several of the most common threats to privacy and anonymity on the internet, and what you can do to defend yourself.

Bad Passwords

You might have been able to get away with a simple and generic password in the early 2000s, but in 2021, when hackers are extremely smart, it’s just not going to fly.

Only 35 percent of people use different passwords for different parts of the internet. That means if someone cracks one aspect of your online world, it can all come tumbling down. You might think you’re safe from the threat when you change your email password, only to have them hack your Facebook account.

Make sure you use different passwords for every application. And make sure that you don’t use one of the most common passwords in the world.

Intelius

Intelius is a reverse look-up sight for phone numbers. Well… that’s what they say they are. They provide a wealth of “public data” to people who subscribe to them.

If you know anything about internet culture, this should raise major red flags.

The line between “public data” and “private data” has quickly evaporated. On Intelius, people can perform background checks on you, learn your home address and learn your phone number. Anyone who cares about their privacy wouldn’t want all of this publically available.

Thankfully, using a counter-service, it’s possible to opt out of Intelius. Check here for more information on opting out of Intelius.

The Internet of Things

The Internet of Things refers to devices — such as Alexa and the smart home — which allow people to connect the internet to devices that exist in our “real world”. This opens up a whole new realm to internet security. People in the ’70s didn’t worry about their record player shutting off of their files got stolen, but people in the 21st century have to worry about their speaker turning off if their online files get hacked.

Though Alexa can handle your appliances, make sure you treat them with the same level of privacy you treat things in the online world.

Privacy on the Internet Is Unstable

If you think you’ve done all you can to take care of your privacy on the internet, think again. Make sure you make use of password best practices, stay away from Intelius, and keep updated on the internet of things, and you’re far more likely to stay safe.

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