Top 4 Online Privacy Trends for 2022 and Beyond

Digital privacy and data protection trends to be aware of today

There is tremendous freedom and convenience in the ability to conduct business via the internet. However, an exponentially increasing flow of online traffic has also spawned an increase in cyber-attacks as attack surfaces have grown. These threats could have a great impact on your organization as your employee's personal information is put at risk. If this data were to fall into the wrong hands, your business immediately becomes the potential victim of a cyberattack.

As we enter the year 2022, there are some prevalent online privacy trends we should all be aware of and they are likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

Top 4 online privacy trends we're seeing for 2022

These trends are worth keeping an eye on as they pertain to the privacy and protection of your sensitive data.

Greater transparency from tech companies

As consumers become more aware of data privacy, there is an increasingly loud collective voice calling for greater transparency on when and how their data is being collected. We may be reaching a tipping point where high-profile tech companies are beginning to act.

Apple is at the forefront of the user privacy movement, as its latest iOS release allows its users to see which smartphone apps are tracking them. Apple’s iPhone also requires all apps to gain permission from users to track their activity. This has led to 96% of users opting out of tracking, further demonstrating the importance consumers place on their online privacy today.

The fact that it is a company with Apple’s pull that is taking the lead in the efforts to provide users with transparency is significant. Expect to see further advancement on the trend of tech companies like Apple providing some form of data protection for users. This is especially critical for your business as smartphones and iPads have become extremely common workplace tools.

With the large number of apps that have been collecting user data for years, tech leaders must continue pushing more transparency to protect consumers' digital privacy.

Goodbye to third-party cookies

When it comes to online activity, a cookie can be viewed as a digital tracking device that is planted inside your web browser. Many companies use third-party cookies to gather critical information about how people use their website, interact with on-page ads, and much more.

Google’s Chrome browser is said to be eliminating third-party cookies by the end of 2023, but other browsers have already taken the steps to eliminate third-party cookie tracking. Firefox and Safari have already phased out these cookies. Furthermore, many people now use a cookie blocker, like IDX's tracking blocker, that can disable tracking scripts that load and run when you visit a website. Because employees' personal devices present significant vulnerabilities for organizations, these tracking blockers have become valuable tools to protect both the individual's privacy and the security of your business.

Cybercrime on the rise

Ransomware attacks, identity theft, and data breaches. These are all ominous-sounding and the incidence of all forms of cybercrime is a negative trend that is likely to continue forward. The growth in most people’s online presence with online shopping and banking means greater opportunities for cybercriminals to strike. In Q3 2021 alone nearly 100,000 Americans were victims of credit card fraud.

This trend is not going away and will only continue to be an issue for users if they are not cautious about the data they provide and to whom.

Preparing for the inevitable data breach before it happens is your best defense. Companies need to take proactive steps to get your organization “response ready” — before, during, and after a data breach. IDX’s no-cost MSA Priority Response solution will help ensure your companies to be ready for today’s highly complex and dynamic cyber threat landscape.

Protecting a remote workforce

With 45% of workers either partially or fully remote as of September 2021, it remains to be seen how America's workforce will change in the next few years. What is clear is that an organization's ability to provide a safe and secure work environment is harder than ever.

As long as the workforce remains highly remote, there are additional privacy risks to employees and organizations. When employees are not within company confines and on the corporate internet, they are instead using their home internet to conduct business. This can provide additional risk as home networks tend to have lower security standards, with unsecured Wi-Fi networks being particularly high-risk to company data.

The trend of working from home means companies should ensure their employees are educated on cybersecurity basics. Not only will this protect the employee from leaving their private data at risk, but it also ensures the protection of company data.

The importance of data privacy training for a remote workforce

We must reiterate and expand upon the importance of ensuring that a remote workforce is well educated and trained on the topic of data privacy. The average employee is not skilled in topics around IT and networking, so they need to be guided to ensure they are protecting both their personal and private company data.

As the prevalence of remote work increases, so too does the prevalence of phishing scams. As many as 91% of cyberattacks originate from phishing emails. These emails may appear to legitimately be from trusted sources that your company does business with, or they may even impersonate a high-level employee of your company. Imagine the average worker sitting at home with no training on how to spot phishing emails getting a message from your company’s CEO (or so they think…) requesting them to send sensitive company data. These are the types of situations that can be avoided with data privacy and cybersecurity training.

Employees should also be encouraged, if not required, to avoid using WiFi connections to conduct business activities unless they are connected to a virtual private network (VPN). A hardwired connection is preferred, but if WiFi is the only option in an employee’s home office then a VPN can help protect against cyberattacks that could otherwise be carried out over the home WiFi connection. It’s critical to protect your business’ data by requiring employee compliance with these guidelines.

How IDX can help with digital privacy

Navigating the current landscape of digital privacy can be a challenge. Fortunately, we are here to help with experience and solutions tailored to your specific needs.

Our award-leading privacy platform will help reduce privacy risks your employees and business are facing. We offer the industry's leading digital privacy protection platform to reduce cybersecurity threats within your organization. We can also answer any questions and help put together a plan to keep yourself, your employees, and your customer safe from cyberattacks.