Before you sign up for that website or mobile app, at least read the Privacy Policy. This is the most ignored part when signing up for services online but is in fact, one of the most important sections.
Data Mining
Data mining is the process of organizations converting customers’ raw data into beneficial information for business and marketing purposes. This procedure has without a doubt raised many concerns amongst users and also raised ethical issues for companies like Facebook and many more.
“If it’s free, you’re the product.”
It is very common for companies to sell the personal data of their customers in order to make profit.
So What Is a Privacy Policy?
A Privacy Policy is a statement or legal agreement that explains how a company or website gathers, handles and processes the data of its users and visitors. It usually entails:
- The type of data collected
- The reason for collecting such data
- How the data is stored and for how long
- The third parties that have access to this information
- User’s rights to delete personal information
- Use of cookies
How much data is collected from you?
Some of the personal data that may be collected from an individual includes:
- Name
- Address
- Email address
- Birth date
- Social Security number
- Phone number
- IP address
- Nationality
- Sex
- Age
- Card details and transactions
Here is a section from Medium’s privacy policy:
In some instances, we automatically collect certain information, including:
…
Device and Usage Information: We collect information about how you access our Services, including data about the device and network you use, such as your hardware model, operating system version, mobile network, IP address, unique device identifiers, browser type, and app version. We also collect information about your activity on our Services, such as access times, pages viewed, links clicked, and the page you visited before navigating to our Services.
Here is a summary of an app’s privacy policy on the AppStore:
Why It Matters
Privacy is very important because it gives the user power to control their information and how it is shared. It prevents individuals and businesses from social-engineering attacks and physical threats in the event of a data breach.
“Privacy is power. What people don’t know, they can’t ruin.”
How Do I Protect My Privacy?
First of all, read the Privacy Policy and Data Collection segment of the company’s Terms & Conditions to be informed on what piece of information you will be giving out before hitting that “I Agree” button.
Using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) can help hide your IP address and mask your online activities.
You can take back ownership of your data by using services, such as SayMine, that help users discover their digital footprint and send requests to companies to delete personal data.
SayMine
SayMine is an online data removal firm that helps users discover what companies have their personal data and helps them manage their digital footprint.
Its competitors are WireWheel, OneTrust and Privitar but SayMine’s simplified services are what make them stand out.
Conclusion
Privacy is everything. Most people don’t care about what information on them is out there but such sensitive information could always be used maliciously in the events of a data breach as well. Remember to stay safe, both digitally and physically!
