Much of the business we do, whether at work or at home, is done online through a browser or app. Many of our day to day interactions are done through social media apps which use our personal information, interests, and data to their advantage through advertisements tailored to grab our attention.

The more websites we give our information to and the more apps we use that utilize our data, the more we risk our data privacy, especially if we fail to take precautionary measures when putting our information online.

How Companies Use Your Data to Make Money

In 2018, due to Congress’ concerns regarding Facebook’s privacy standards, Mark Zuckerberg was asked many questions during a joint Senate Judiciary and Commerce Committees hearing. Zuckerberg rejected the idea that Facebook sells personal data to advertisers and instead explained:

"What we allow is for advertisers to tell us who they want to reach, and then we do the placement. So, if an advertiser comes to us and says, 'All right, I am a ski shop and I want to sell skis to women,' then we might have some sense, because people shared skiing-related content, or said they were interested in that, they shared whether they're a woman, and then we can show the ads to the right people without that data ever changing hands and going to the advertiser."

This gives a clear idea of just how companies like Facebook profit off of personal data. The more information you share about yourself and your interests on the app, the clearer picture they have of just what kind of person you are. They can then use that information to show you advertisements for things you are more likely to spend money on. It’s a win for Facebook, a win for the business advertising, and it could be a win for you (you are shown ads for things you are actually interested in), but what about when that data is stolen, leaked, or subject to poor security?

There’s an App for That

Facebook, however, is just one app on your phone, and the average smartphone user has around 35 apps installed. Many apps do not have the same security as a large company like Facebook, and yet still ask for permission to access things like location and audio, putting you at more risk of having your privacy invaded.

In a study done by Broadcom’s Symantec Security Center, researchers found that “45 percent of the most popular Android apps and 25 percent of the most popular iOS apps request location tracking…” Many of these apps also ask for permission to access the camera or even read SMS messages.

This is personal information that we are giving the app permission to grab and use. For many apps, we are also supplying our information like our email address, username, and even home address. When you add up all of the apps we use on a daily basis, it is easy to see just how things can get out of hand.

What can you do to help alleviate the possibility of your private data getting lost or stolen?

• Ask whether the app or website really needs the information they are asking for. If you want to do a quiz online to see which Disney Princess you are and the website or app starts asking for information or permissions, you should avoid agreeing. This is not necessary and they are most likely using your information without you realizing.
• Does the app need permission to your location, camera, etc. in order to be used? There are thousands of apps designed for specific purposes. Does that video game app really need access to your contact list? Probably not.
• Is this a trustworthy website/app? Before giving up personal information, it’s always important to know if the website or app we are giving information to is capable of handling that information in a secure way. Do some extra due diligence before signing up.
• Get rid of old, unused apps. Those old apps could still be gathering information due to their permissions. Do some house cleaning and get rid of any old apps you no longer use.

Your personal data is money to companies like Facebook and other apps, so it’s important you treat it just the same. Protect your information and privacy like you would your bank account. Don’t give out information to just anyone and stay vigilant about reading those terms and agreements when you sign up. This can help minimize the risk of losing that information and keeps your personal data private.