Data Privacy in the Modern Era: Challenges and Solutions

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Data privacy is a crucial subject for anyone who knows how bad things can get for them with their data in the wrong hands, and safeguarding our data has become more complicated with the use of the internet since we all want to have a lot of information online.

Back in the good old days, when there were more physical interactions,our government crossed many horses before they could know information about us, unlike now, where humans are digitally connected with devices, making our online interactions impossible to keep a secret anymore. Nowadays, the government and other bodies monitor our conversations, and while it shouldn't affect us, they cross the boundary sometimes and could use it negatively for their own selfish interests. Not withstanding, there are still advantages and disadvantages to having our data out there, and I would love to share my opinion with you below.

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Advantages

In case of emergency, your data can easily be accessed and necessary decisions taken:

Let's say you have an ID card that has a chip. That chip is like an ATM card, and if something happens, they will use the chip to access your name, where you come from and other information, in a case they want to transfuse the person, maybe the person cannot even talk and is unconscious, they can find out your details via bio data and can actually relate to your next of kin. All that information that is now out there for the public to access becomes an advantage to you and can save your life.

Your data can help exonerate you from crime-related offenses:

In a case where a crime was committed and you are being accused of it, sometimes your data can help you. For instance, if someone says that you killed somebody and then there's evidence of DNA there, if you have your finger print or DNA as a record in your public data,it can be used to cross-match, and the result may set you free from a crime you knew nothing about.

Disadvantages

Impersonation: The same way your data can exonerate you from crime, somebody can harvest your data and use it to impersonate you as if you are the one doing a crime. This can be possible because our data is easily accessible, and this is one downside of not having our data private. One can use our data to create something you cannot even deny.

It exposes you to danger: There have been cases whereby somebody hacked into people's accounts and had full access to their data. Let's say on Facebook, for example, somebody can trace you and know where you stay. Kidnapping can happen because your data is out there, and this puts someone in danger.

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Is there a way to make sure the data is really private?

I think the implementation of a data protection policy looks like a good solution to this subject. If this is implemented, what it means is that no one has access to our data. Even on social media, where we put our name and other things, the people who regulate social media will make sure that nobody accesses our data, but then this policy is not implemented.

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Sometimes you see that people's accounts are being hacked, and the hacker will start posting nude pictures and other information, trying to send messages to your contacts that you are in trouble and in need of money. This act is very common in our digital world today, where our data is scattered all over the Internet. This is possible because our data is not well protected; however, having multiple layers of protection can help combat this issue to some extent.

Nowadays, there are so many apps out there that actually help us perform our activities, and many times, we supply our data to these apps. However, not allowing all websites and apps that seek our consent to access our private data and share it with other apps is another solution to the data privacy issues.

This is my response to the #hivelearners community contest about Data and privacy.

Ps: all images were taken and edited in canva

Thanks for reading ❤️❤️❤️