Navigating Data Security in the Predatory Environment of Surveillance Capitalism
The companies that feel obligated to track and record our every move (online and IRL) keep us in the dark about what data they extract & what they use it for–Here’s what you can do to protect yourself:
Hackers, Data Leaks, & Trackers…Oh My!
Chances are you’re one of the 64% of Americans that “say their social media activity is not very or not at all secure,” and that seems to me like a natural response to the growing number of data leaks and breaches targeting the big names in social media. In 2021, the personal data (including sensitive information like phone numbers, addresses, and location information) of 533 million Facebook users were posted to a “low-level hacking forum.” Or perhaps you’re among the 63% of Americans concerned with the protection of your location data. The pool of bad actors in the realm of data security has grown with the commodification of “surveillance capitalism.” Not only must we look out for hackers and identity thieves, but also the platforms and services to which we voluntarily give out our personal information–think Facebook, Google, and Amazon.
The Commodification of Behavioral Data
It was Shoshana Zuboff who coined the term “surveillance capitalism” as the “unilateral claiming of private human experience as free raw material for translation into behavioral data.” According to Zuboff:
“These data are then computed and packaged as prediction products and sold into behavioral futures markets — business customers with a commercial interest in knowing what we will do now, soon, and later.”
Services like Google and Instagram track and record your activity and behavior and share it with third parties. This predictive data is used for a number of questionably ethical purposes. For example, “even seemingly innocuous information, like looking at motorcycles or researching diabetes for oneself or a friend — might mean that insurance companies would consider you more likely to engage in risky behavior, according to the FTC.” Regardless of what data threats you find yourself worrying about, we are all vulnerable to attacks by data hackers, trackers, and leaks. And despite the narrative being sold to us in the privacy agreements of big tech monopolies, the convenience of the 21st Century should not come at the price of our data privacy.
Update your Software
Updating your software is one of the easiest ways to protect your data security. Software engineers release updates that mitigate vulnerabilities made evident by hackers. We saw this occurrence play out in real-time just a few weeks ago when Apple was urging its customers to update to iOS 15.6.1, which featured two critical bug fixes. Forbes interviewed security researcher Sean Wright, who warned that the two bugs “could be chained together to allow attackers to remotely gain full access to victims’ devices.”
Strengthen your Passwords & Use Two-Factor Authorization
I myself am guilty of using the same password across platforms and applications. But seeing as one million passwords are stolen every week, upgrading your password strategy is a crucial step in protecting yourself against data breaches, identity theft, and fraud.
“Many consumers go for the minimum when it comes to verification to save time, but that can create a ‘path of least resistance’ for bad actors who want access to your devices and personal information.” -Rick Song (Source: Forbes)
This resource from Arizona State University provides several helpful tips to level up your password game:
Encrypt your Data
This page from the Electric Frontier Foundation’s (EFF) Surveillance Self Defense website offers a comprehensive introduction to encryption. Understanding the technological and mathematical processes behind encryption is not something the average person needs to know (or if you’re like me, wants to know) but the EFF highlights the key takeaway:
“Encryption is the best existing technology we have to protect information from government, service providers, and technically skilled hackers, and it has developed to the point that it is virtually impossible to break when applied correctly.” (Source: EFF)
If you are short on time/TLDR: the video below features a beginner's guide to data encryption and provides easy-to-understand explanations of data encryption concepts such as “data at rest” and “data in transit.” This video introduces encryption using AxCrypt, which is a service that offers a free and paid version.
Install Antivirus & Browser Extensions
I used to think that antivirus was a thing of the past, only necessary for the outdated PC sitting in our parents’ house collecting dust. There is a common misconception that Apple products are immune to viruses. I too believed this myth for the longest time, but it simply isn’t true. In fact, “Mac threats increased by over 400% year-over-year in 2019, outpacing Windows two to one.” Installing an antivirus is simple, and there are many free antivirus options available. If you’re cheap like me, I suggest using Avast One. To further protect yourself from vulnerable web pages, I recommend installing a browser extension. Researchers from the EFF report that “the average web page shares data with dozens of third-parties.” The browser extension HTTPS Everywhere uses encryption (remember: we ❤ encryption!) to keep your activity on the web private.
