The arrival of the Internet and the complete digital transformation of the world have brought many benefits to everyone. Information has become more accessible, communication has almost completely lost its borders, the transfer of information is no longer a problem. But it is precisely this development that has brought additional threats to all of us, which have already created a lot of problems for many. The point is that information has become publicly available, not only can you find information on the Internet, but your personal information can also be found by others. A simple user cannot do this, but an experienced hacker may well find secret information and then use it at his own discretion. Let’s figure out together whether to be afraid of constant surveillance and how you can avoid it.
Are smartphones tracking us?
On thematic forums and sites, in various videos and even on TV, you can hear that smartphones are watching all of us and save a lot of personal information. This is true, the smartphone receives and sends some data to the network. Large corporations use the information to serve up more relevant links during searches and to select targeted ads. The Internet is a big and profitable business, here everyone is fighting for their client and the collection of information is one of the tools in this war. Not all information is transmitted to the network, only your search queries, key phrases, voice queries, etc.
It should not be ruled out that a smartphone can be hacked and special programs installed on it that will track certain data. Some programs record voice, while others intercept information input from the keyboard and even save your secret passwords. This is indeed possible, so there is such a threat and should be feared. Always keep track of what applications are on your smartphone, as well as who has access to it besides you. Especially if your personal information can be of value to others.
Is everyone being bugged or filmed?
You need to understand what purpose of listening interests you. If we are talking about large corporations that store information in order to give you more relevant information during searches and advertising, then yes, almost everyone is listening. The user independently agrees with the terms of use of the device or operating system, and it indicates what data will be collected and sent to servers for analysis. If we are talking about hacker eavesdropping and covert filming with a camera, then everything is relative here.
If you are a manager of a large company or an influential politician, then you can indeed be tapped to steal information, because its cost on the black market can be extremely high. If we are talking about a simple user, then hackers are not very interested in such people. Hacking a device takes a lot of money and a lot of time, which means the hacker will think about whether he needs it. Nobody hunts for your photos with a cat, digital criminals only need valuable data, which they can then convert into money. However, even a simple user can fall prey to a hacker attack aimed at the masses.
Should I glue tape on my camera and microphone?
If you pay attention to modern laptops, there is often a special plastic shutter that allows you to close the camera. But most of the equipment comes without such protection, so users seal the camera with tape or duct tape so that criminals cannot track them. Should I do it? – the question is quite controversial, it all depends on your personal beliefs and type of activity. If you are a simple laptop user, then you should not cover the camera with tape, it is unlikely that you will be watched, you simply are of no value to hackers. If you are a public person, politician or successful businessman, then such protection will not be superfluous.
Remember that when the work is carried out with classified data and you may be collected by competitors, then digital security needs to be approached more responsibly. You may be watched unbeknownst to you, your camera may be used to gather information and should really be taped up if you have such concerns. But if you are just a user of social networks and watch YouTube videos on your laptop, then such protection will not be necessary.
So should you be afraid of surveillance?
Surveillance can be completely different, for different reasons. Spousal surveillance to prove infidelity, corporate surveillance from companies that sell advertising, hacker surveillance to obtain classified information. Large companies always collect user data and store it on their servers, and then use it to offer you more interesting ads, you cannot avoid this. Even if you disable the function of collecting most of the data in the settings, some information will still be sent to the servers. But this phenomenon can be considered safe, information is not passed into the hands of fraudsters, and corporations do not collect classified information about you.
If there is a suspicion that you may be watched, then this should be feared. If you are cheating on your wife or husband, then the spouses can install special hacker programs for surveillance on their smartphones, they are affordable and even distributed in a free manner. It is necessary to check what software is installed on the smartphone, this can be done quickly and easily. If you see that there are programs that you did not install, then it is better to get rid of them.
Most of all, you need to be afraid of hackers, if they want to get valuable information from you, they will definitely do it. But always analyze the situation and think about whether hackers need your data, whether you are really worthy of spending a lot of resources on your hacking. If there is no such threat, then you should not be afraid of surveillance. If there is a threat, then it is best to play it safe and reconsider your attitude to digital security.