As the saying goes: The Internet is forever; Once you've put something online-a credit card number, a silly photo, a heat-of-the-moment comment on social media-it can come back to disturb you.
But what are the risks, really? "There are two worst-case situations, " says Richard Klosowski, privacy and security editor of a product-recommendation service. "The most obvious one is a security issue. Everyone's e-mail address and basic details are let out somewhere online, and if you reuse passwords, that means a criminal or immoral person will have an easier time getting into you accounts.
The problem is getting worse: Identity theft cases more than doubled in 2020, according to a survey conducted by Harvard university, with reported financial losses from fraud(欺诈)overall climbing to $3. 3 billion from $1. 8 billion in 2019.
"The second worse-case situation is more primal:embarrassment, "says Klosowski. And sometimes the pricks(刺痛) to our pride are far more personal than feeling ashamed over an awful photo. "Many of us store our most intimate thoughts in a digital notes app, draft e-mails we never send, or pour out our private feelings into a direct message to a friend. This is the type of thing that can be disclosed online, either through a provider being ignored or through your own misunderstanding of the often-confusing privacy settings in the software and services. "
With these sorts of slip-ups, the stakes can be high. But you're not powerless. You can stand up for your privacy and begin to take control, starting right now.
