AI Data Sharks: How to Protect Your Privacy in a Digital World

The unsettling privacy-versus-security debate reverberates around the world and the statistics are staggering.

Every single minute of every day, people around the world send 16m texts, post 231m emails, conduct 5.9m Google searches, and share 1.7m pieces of Facebook content - and that doesn’t include Amazon orders, Tweets, or YouTube downloads.

Pretty soon, AI spies will be circling all of your data to compile in tidy electronic files. Here are six ways you can fight your corner of the digital world and help protect your privacy.
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Safeguard Your Security

Maintaining security is essential both online and offline. Take proactive steps to prevent data theft or sabotage. SPYSCAPE asked former CIA officers to explain how they protect their data so you can act like a pro. Ensure your home and work computers are free from spyware and follow our top tips to secure your shared data. Keep your antivirus software updated and prioritize digital hygiene. In 2021, US data breaches reached a record high of 1,862 compromises, with ransomware threats doubling. With these alarming statistics, it's wise to question why you would risk leaving your security to chance.
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Evaluate App Downloads

Living in the 21st century means constantly being monitored by numerous apps throughout the day, including sleep tracker apps that operate even when you're asleep. When accessing the internet on your phone, it's highly likely that apps are collecting your personal data. Stay informed about how apps gather information and stay ahead with our helpful tips.

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Embrace Curiosity

Euripides, the ancient Greek playwright, advocated questioning everything, learning something, and answering nothing. By adopting a mindset of curiosity and skepticism, we can take control of our data in an increasingly virtual landscape. Protect your digital communications, limit personal information shared on social media, browse incognito, use different search engines, employ a virtual private network (VPN), and ensure your devices have up-to-date antivirus software. And if concerns about privacy persist, ask yourself why - then explore ways to enhance it.
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Verify Your Sources

The proliferation of fake news and disinformation is an ongoing issue. Misleading information, designed to resemble legitimate news articles, spreads easily on social media platforms, often resulting in inflammatory messages and online harassment. This practice has been utilized throughout history by various entities, including world leaders, political parties, and influencers. In a world where truth can be elusive, the best defense is to verify your sources, develop a critical eye, and avoid being duped.
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Master Your Digital Footprint

Every online action leaves a digital footprint, providing a wealth of information about your life, family, and friends. However, you have the power to control and manage your digital presence more effectively than you might think. Start with open-source intelligence, conducting strategic searches to uncover information associated with your name, email addresses, and documents. Check for your image and text in various formats. Additionally, utilize websites that aggregate online intelligence, and if necessary, take steps to remove or shut down unnecessary social media accounts.
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Educated yourself about Deepfakes

Deepfakes are fake images, videos and audio made with artificial intelligence technology.

While old-style phishing involved sending emails or other messages to induce individuals to reveal passwords or credit card numbers, deepfakes are a sophisticated new tool in the world of cyber fraud. Deepfake avatars created with deep-learning artificial intelligence have been used to create counterfeit videos of celebrities or distribute fake news. They can also duplicate the likeness of a person on a Zoom video call, or replicate a person’s voice on a phone call. Read our SPYSCAPE guide to deepfake phishing and keep your data safe.

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Empower yourself

We all possess the ability to challenge assumptions. By tapping into our reservoirs of curiosity, skepticism, and critical thinking, we can better understand the world around us.