Social networks have brought many people together, but also brings their information with them. People willingly post personal information about them on their social media pages. Facebook profiles share birthdays, friends, where you lived, and where you work. Instagram stories show updated pictures of events that you've attended. Snapchat maps show your exact location through tracking the location of your phone. What's unfathomable is that people voluntarily put their information out there with no way to figure out who is accessing their data which makes social media the biggest threat to the security of personal data.
Having social media profiles allow strangers to know who you are even if you have never met them before. Public profiles let any individual get a glimpse of your life. If a picture speaks a thousand words, then your Instagram profile speaks volumes. Strangers can deduce where you live by the locations your photos are taken. They can also know who you hang out with by looking at the people in your photos or the photos you are tagged in. Even if your profile is private, people can still access your profile and see your username, bio, and profile picture. Your information cannot be fully private once you have a social media account.
Snapchat's new map feature allows people to share their location by tracking their phone. The Snapmap was made with the intent of showing the world what other local communities look like. However, when put in the wrong hands, this service can be used to harm individuals. This service can only be set public if the user wants to, but still poses a threat to hackers being able to see where you are at all times.
The Cambridge Analytica scandal confirmed the fact that our personal data is open to companies to cater to advertisements to users. Cambridge Analytica was able to legally obtain information that the public trusts Facebook to keep private and use it to show ads the users are inclined to relate with. Although their intentions seem harmless, the effects of the data breach prove to be immense. Cambridge Analytica has used the data to show political ads which affected the Brexit referendum campaign and the 2016 United States Election. The sway in votes makes the results dishonest and unfair. The threat to our information security is also a threat to democracy.
In order to keep information safe, we must be aware of what we put out there. The internet is a vast sea of information where anyone is able to see what your interests are and who you are as a person. We must be wary of giving random sites personal information and read the terms and conditions that come with having social media. Keeping your profiles private is the first step in securing your personal data. Also, people should only allow those they know to follow them on their accounts. This prevents strangers from being able to see what you post. In a world that is extremely globalized, privacy is no longer a given. We must actively find ways to keep our information safe from those who want to abuse it.
