Ian Wang
The short-lived ban on TikTok has brought online privacy into sharp focus, raising concerns about how personal data is collected, used and exploited. From scam calls to data brokers, personal information faces numerous threats online.
Online privacy is the concept of keeping personal data safe while online or using the internet. However, many people remain unaware of how vulnerable their data may be. According to Pew Research Center, 72% of Americans say that they have little to no understanding about the laws and regulations that are currently in place to protect their data privacy.
“The internet is as safe as you can make it,” said sophomore Anjali Kalyanakrishnan. “There are certain things you can do to make your experience safer, like not sharing your information.”
With personal data at large, scam centers can access personal phone numbers of many people, sending calls to individuals and commonly portraying themselves as customer service agents from large companies.
Though they are illegal in the United States, scam calls remain widespread and increasingly sophisticated, thanks to advancements in artificial intelligence.
“I know of some people who have received [spam] calls where [the calls] sound exactly like someone they knew on the other end, and they’re demanding a ransom,” said senior Ruhi Mudoi. “Those are definitely dangerous because those [calls] usually prey on the elderly or even children.”
Similar to scam calls, scam texts are also very common, especially among younger generations since people have started to learn to not trust calls that aren’t familiar. These messages often exploit recent activities, such as package tracking, by sending fake texts claiming additional fees are required.
In addition to scam centers, data brokers are people who make money by unlawfully collecting online personal data and selling said information to companies for various reasons, like marketing and advertising.
“There are certain things in social media where they save your information, and then they give it to the advertiser, and then data brokers can get your information from advertisers,” Kalyanakrishnan said.
While some data brokers operate legally by using public information, others unlawfully access private data, creating serious privacy concerns. Even when data brokers use public information, their activities can feel invasive. Protecting personal data from unauthorized use remains critical, regardless of the legality of their methods and the information that they get, even if it’s public and has already been on the internet.
Many cases involve cookies, which grant users full access to a website’s content.
“Honestly, for most people, they just accept [cookies] as a matter of convenience,” Mudoi said. “Because in the European Union, for example, they have regulations that mandate [websites] to ask you about cookies.”
Cookies themselves aren’t harmful, but when accepting them on a website that isn’t common or trustworthy, they can open a gateway to scammers and data brokers.
“Make sure to do research and be vigilant,” Mudoi said. “If you’re going on a website, be aware that there may be certain scams or [data brokers that] may be trying to use your information. Right now, data is a very valuable currency so people are willing to pay a lot for it. ”
Online privacy protections are stronger for Californians than most other Americans. In October of 2023, Gavin Newsom approved the California Consumer Privacy Act, also known as the DELETE Act, which places limitations on the data brokers’ access to user information.
With background information covering why online privacy is important, people should be aware of what’s going on with their information. Whether it’s accessed by data brokers or scammers, keeping information to oneself should always be a legitimate concern when being online.
