Your Data Privacy and the Virtual World: How Do You Keep It Safe?

How the increase in customer data collection is impacting how we engage with organizations online

The buying and selling of customer data is hardly a new practice, and data protection is rarely made a priority. Even before the age of the internet, mailing lists were being exchanged to help companies extend their prospective reaches. With few boundaries between our virtual world and our privacy, accessing someone’s personal information has become even easier. The variety of ways a company may or may not guard your information is vital to how you choose to interact with them and who you can decide to trust.

“Every Move You Make…”

The more information a company or individual gets from you, the more exposed you are to potential problems. Data brokers, entities who collect and sell personal data, thrive on online presence. Even those who don’t sell your data outright put it at risk. Websites and applications who employ personalized advertising create the chance for advertisers (and less-savory players) to extrapolate from your interests. Even a website that makes every effort to keep information secure has the potential risk for hackers to break in.

The Good with the (Potentially) Bad

That’s not to say that all tracking is bad, or that the information you give out is automatically going to be used in a malicious way. That data can be used in positive ways, like getting real time weather alerts at your exact location, or your banking app getting much needed improvements because they could see where people were having trouble using their app. You trade the risk with the benefits you gain from having access to the digital domain, which is a necessary part of today’s interactivity. It’s up to you to decide if those benefits outweigh the potential hazards.

For example, social media sites, though they claim not to sell your information, still sell access to you through individualized advertising that puts you at risk. Many medical apps, like numerous exercise trackers and calorie counters, don’t have the best security, but some fall under federal regulations that require them to safeguard their users to HIPPA standards.

Here are some questions to ask before giving a site or app your information:

• Does the privacy policy specify what data they compile? Is it only what you choose to give them, or do they track your virtual movements even after you exit their space?
• How is the company protecting your information? What are their security measures?
• What ways are they using your information? Do they allow you the option to specify those uses?
• Do they ask for camera and/or location access? Do they use it only when the app is open or do they track it all of the time?
• Do they give you the option to decide what cookies you allow, or opt out of them altogether?
• In cases where you may be sharing medical information, is this company or app HIPPA compliant?
• Does this app come from a known source?
• Does this company offer multi-factor identification?
• Do they allow you the option to remove your information from their database?

Knowing what to look for in a company, website, or app is a vital part of our virtual existence. As it becomes easier to misuse personal information, questions like these can go a long way towards limiting your exposure.

At IDX, we use the information we collect to improve our services, communicate with you, and even detect fraudulent activity. We do not sell customer data to third parties and we provide clear information and tools for you to control what type of information you share with us. Deciding what ways you are and are not ok with your information being used and ensuring that it’s being protected as well as possible could save you many headaches down the road.