“Each of us has a shadow. And in the digital era, this shadow leaves traces – social networks, registration on sites, online transaction, access to geolocation. It is not just a set of bytes, but the key to how we can find, break, deceive and even destroy.”, – WRITE: www.pravda.com.ua
And do we always know and understand what we leave on the Internet – and who can use it? Next, let’s talk about it in more detail.
Do you go for friends? Not so long ago, information about people was collected mostly from rumors. Now almost everyone can gather a dossier thanks to digital traces – we leave them on ourselves almost daily or even realize. Mention in Google’s Search System of Long Participation in the Student Competition, Social Products with Geolocation, Registers Data – Your Full Name, Address, Real Estate List, Entrepreneurial Types, Debts.
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Digital identity is all that remains about you in Digital World. Part of the information you share consciously: registering on marketplaces, filling in Google Form to participate in the events, leaving feedback on goods and services. However, information about what pages you attend, Rils what topics you are viewing several times, what brands you are interested in are also data and an asset about you. Even if you don’t like it.
And in fact, these data can use third faces. Marketers, analysts, fraudsters. And sometimes these are representatives of different businesses, political power. For someone, information about you on the Internet can be a way to learn more and will have no negative consequences for you. And someone can turn it into a tool for manipulation, deception, blackmail and even repression (for example, as representatives of the aggressor state in the temporarily occupied territories track proactive Ukrainians on posts and curses).
What about you on the Internet? Let’s analyze how to understand that we are already on the Internet. First, these are registers. Many of them in Ukraine are open or you can access the simple procedure. And the registers have your addresses, phones, property information, partners, professional activity, enforcement proceedings.
Second, information on social networks. The key idea of creating social media platforms was that people could exchange information and expand their ties. Most of the average citizens today consider these platforms safe sites for communications. But in reality it is far from right. According to TESSIAN’s research “How to break a person”:
- 59% of people publish photos/names of children.
- 38% of people write about celebrating their birthday or friends.
- 27% of people publish their partners’ names/photos.
- 93% of people place updated information about their work.
- 36% of people place information about their company or colleagues.
- 26% of people place customer information.
Very often, this information is not confidential, and the users’ accounts themselves are open. And this is the most powerful weapon against you. Because this information allows fraudsters to collect data about you or someone from your surroundings, and then use AI technologies to develop personalized approaches to the breakdown of accounts. For example, now they are breaking the Telegram accounts in a relatively new way – we are already fixing the cases where fraudsters instead of a text message with a link send a voice message with a request to help. Such SMS can be addressed from a sister or neighbor. They are created with the help of AI and sound hyper realistic. Especially for those who still know about the use of AI on the dark side.
A simpler form of fraud by receiving access to the account in the telegram of one of your contacts: you receive a message from your aunt’s native aunt asking for help. Go for the link, vote for your cousin, say, in the drawing contest, and then lose access to your telegrams. And it is because we do not take into account the digital dangers and leave tens, hundreds, thousands of digital traces – fraudulent attacks are becoming more personalized and more often.
Did you know that the vulnerability of the guilty? When Nadiyno’s hotline is addressed with reports of breaking or fraud, it is felt that people are experiencing shame. For someone, this is the reason not to seek help. People, in particular, blame themselves for voluntarily moving on an unreliable reference or – that they were entrusted with the promises of a fraudulent site to send a gift.
However, vulnerability in the digital world is almost inevitable. It is a systemic problem caused by did the dynamization, rapid development of artificial intelligence, improving fraudsters of their approaches and tools. Unfortunately, digital hygiene is still an incomprehensible tool for many – and fraudsters use it.
We are in Nadiyno, our colleagues and partners, we do our best to make digital safety a habit for Ukrainians. However, we understand that it takes time.
During the war, caution with digital traces is a survival question! Cyberatics, phishing, dipphyses – all the enemy uses for destabilization, information. Russian intelligence services collect information about Ukrainians through open registers, social networks. Analyzing digital traces, hostile intelligence can detect activists, military, reporters and more. And cyberattacks on government sites often begin with one person compromise – for example, through the breakdown of his mail or account.
In the occupied territories, the Russian FSB details and conducts “filtration” – checks smartphones, social networks. A person can be delayed and condemned for repost for the Ukrainian military, for belonging to a particular group, etc. In addition, fraudsters now create fake accounts of military or volunteers, thus moving money.
How about human rights? The right to privacy is basic. It is enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights, guaranteed by the Constitution of Ukraine. But today it is a right under pressure. Because any platform collects data. Any application asks for geolocation permits. Any site asks to accept cookies.
Information that forms digital identity is not only what we share consciously. And here are dilemma: can there be a responsibility for the unfair use of our digital traces? How and who will determine the degree of unfairness? Is it possible to control what remains about us in the digital world?
Despite some difficulties, answers to certain questions are gradually formed.
Can there be responsibility for the unfair use of our digital traces? Yes, it is already foreseen in some countries. At The GDPR is the GDPR (General EU Data Protection Regulation), which obliges the company to collect and process personal data as transparently as possible and only with the consent of users. Violation of the regulations provides for multimillion -dollar fines, courts, reputational losses. This example proves that the responsibility for the unfair use of digital traces is possible if it is political will.
Is it possible to control what remains in the digital world? This cannot be completely controlled. But certain tools can help you partially control your digital image.
What else should be done to protect online? In order to protect your personal data in the digital world, it is enough to get a few rules and use some tulza if necessary. To put it bluntly, these are semi -hacker tools like VPN or TOR. They help to act anonymously in the digital world. But if you do not have such a goal and you just want you to be less followed, it is enough to make your accounts on social networks closed. Then their contents will be closed from the search engine indexation and they will not be able to see outsiders.
A few simple rules we recommend to follow daily:
- Twet two -factor authentication on all accounts. This is a basic and truly effective step.
- Do not use the same or simple passwords. And even more so do not use the same password on all sites, in applications.
- View the privacy settings on social networks and, among other things, close the geolocation, limit the visibility for strangers.
- Check out what the applications you install are accessed in your phone and computer and turn off access to personal information, photos. It will not be superfluous to check that access to the microphone, geolocation, galleries have only those applications that really need it.
- Follow the principle of zero confidence, that is, check everything before you move on. Even if it is sent by a familiar person. It is easy to make such a check through services, such as: Norton Safeweb, Checkshorturl).
- Not a certain site has been created by a fraudster to check through telegram bots unreliable.
Digital identity is part of our general identity. Today it is important to realize how our digital image is formed, who can use it and how to minimize unwanted digital traces. It is important to understand that information about you left in the past can be used against you today. Even if it is no longer relevant. Simple rules and tools in this article will help you be less vulnerable online. And although it is impossible to fully protect yourself, it is absolutely necessary to consciously treat the digital traces that you leave daily.
Alexander MarchenkoHead of nadiyno.org
A column is a material that reflects the author’s point of view. The text of the column does not claim the objectivity and comprehensive coverage of the topic that rises in it. The editorial board of “Ukrainian Truth” is not responsible for the accuracy and interpretation of the information provided and plays only the role of the carrier. The point of view of the UP editorial board may not coincide with the point of view of the author of the column.