What Is Internet Privacy?
Internet privacy refers to the security level of personal data provided on the internet without which all personal data are prone to be collected and accessed by interested parties.
What Is Digital Privacy?
Digital privacy refers to the level of comfortability in terms of sharing communication privacy, individual privacy and/or information privacy on the internet. That is, individuals can exist freely on the internet without compromising personal data.
What Is Information Privacy?
Information privacy is often used to protect individual personal privacy rights and freedom in the digital realm in terms of how their personally identifiable information are being collected and used.
How Internet Behaviors Impact Privacy?
Using the Same Credentials for Multiple Accounts
Using the same credentials for multiple accounts is like using one key to open every single door you use, and once a cybercriminal gains access to that one key, every door using that key becomes vulnerable.
Staying Logged into Website
This internet behavior leaves your account vulnerable and makes it easier for cybercriminals to break into your account without your permission, and gain access to your personal information.
Using Services without Reading Their Terms & Conditions
A terms and conditions of service is a legally binding agreement between you and the service provider, which makes it important for you to know what you’re agreeing to before using such a service.
Opening Suspicious Attachments or Downloading Malicious Files
It is necessary to use caution before opening an email attachment, if you’re not sure of the source of such an attachment or media file as such an attachment may contain viruses and other malwares.
Internet Privacy Issues that you should watch out for in 2020
Web tracking:
Whenever you access a website, the operators of such website collect, save, and share information of your activities, which is usually in the form of web browsing history.
Without web tracking, website owners will be unable to access personalized information.
Data collection:
Unless you protect yourself, as soon as you start to surf the internet, your browser will by default begin to share your personal data including your location, IP address, entry point to the internet and the likes.
Lack of security
Some websites use outdated HTTP web communication standard, which lacks adequate security to create an encrypted connection between a computer and the connected website, opening your activities to be monitored by third parties.
Connected everything
In today’s world, where all the smart devices we use are connected, from smartphone to speakers to smart TVs. This poses a great threat to our personal privacy.
Public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi is usually free but often has no form of encryption standard of security, which makes it possible for any hacker near you to gain access to your personal data.
Government spying
The government of some countries spy on their citizens online activities, and they can directly breach their personal privacy, if suspected to be involved in any criminal activities.
Social networking
With social networking websites like Facebook, and twitter, the number of personal information that are stored online have increased. This makes it easier for hackers to get your personal information.
Global Privacy Laws
Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (“COPPA”):
COPPA requires that any website operator or online service provider that operates services directed to children under the age of 13 or have the knowledge that they are collecting personal information online from a child under 13 years of age must abide by COPPA regulations.
California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA):
This is a US law out of California that regulates the content of privacy policies of commercial websites and online services that collects any personal information from any resident of California.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):
GDPR is a robust privacy law that was created by the European Union (EU) in 2016 and become effective in 2018. GDPR gives the citizens of EU a higher level of control on the personal information that they share online.
EU Cookies Directive:
The EU cookies directive states that every website based in the EU, owned by EU businesses or aimed towards EU citizens must let their users know that they use cookies.
Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA):
PIPEDA requires that organizations must legally gain consent to the collection, use and disclosure of any user information prior to the collection. Also, the user must be provided with the service whether they give their content for data collection.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA):
HIPAA is a US legislation that allows the protection and safeguarding of medical information. HIPAA also places restrictions on the different uses and disclosure of a patient’s health data to further protect an individual patient’s data.
Improve Internet Privacy and Security
Here are some of the ways you can improve your internet Privacy and Security.
- Encrypt Browser’s Connection with SSL: With the use of an SSL certificate, any communication between your website and a user’s browser will become encrypted. To do this, you must obtain a form of Secure Socket Layer certificate from any verified issuer. You can go with Free SSL Certificate that you can use initially to know SSL certificate in a better way.
- Disable Cookies: Cookies is the data deposited by your customer when they visit your website. The data gathered with cookies is used for retargeting marketing and advertising, however it can also break privacy policies. Therefore, disable cookies for your website to be on the safe side.
- Create Several Layers of Security: To ensure that your eCommerce website is safe from attacks from hackers, you should ensure that you use multiple layers of security on your website. Make use of simple online privacy protection measures, and advanced once like a Web Application Firewall (WAF).
- Implement a Two-Way Admin Authentication: You can strengthen the security of your website by using a two-way admin authentication method. The first step involves the usual input of username and password, then it should be followed by a second stage that generates a code and sends it to the admin through a smartphone.
- Encrypt Hard Drives: Sensitive information is stored on every hard drive these days and it is therefore necessary that you encrypt your hard drive with the use of an encryption software ensures that you can only access the hard drive if you have the password.
Wrapping it up:
Privacy on the internet is not a privilege, it is a basic right and you should be willing to fight for it. With the use of the various internet privacy tips listed above, you will be able to browse the internet with peace of mind, and with the knowledge that your information is safe from hackers.