HIGHLIGHTS:
- Individual privacy is a means of safeguarding everyone’s online safety.
- As more people are forced to spend time in the virtual world due to the covid-19 pandemic, it has become a hot issue of conversation in the digitally connected world.
- Failure to protect one’s privacy could lead to exploitation and criminal charges against internet users.
What is in the News?
Every year on January 28th, Data Privacy Day is commemorated with the goal of raising privacy awareness. The day is observed as “an international effort to raise awareness about the need of respecting privacy, fostering trust, and protecting data.”
Why are people so concerned about data?
With the growth of instant messaging smartphone programmes such as WhatsApp and Telegram, people are becoming more concerned about data security.
Facts to Remember
Individual privacy is a means of safeguarding everyone’s online safety. As more people are forced to spend time in the virtual world due to the covid-19 pandemic, it has become a hot issue of conversation in the digitally connected world. Failure to protect one’s privacy could lead to exploitation and criminal charges against internet users.
Applications start security features
Many security mechanisms, such as “end-to-end encryption,” have been used in mobile applications to safeguard data privacy. This feature ensures that information sharing is not visible to others and is limited to the two people involved in the chat. This feature is available on WhatsApp and Telegram.
Pressure from the government on businesses
Different companies’ governments have put pressure on these corporations to provide them access to these discussions. In order to gain access to encrypted networks, they want IT companies to develop “back doors” for law enforcement. According to the government, this would provide a safe environment for residents by putting a stop to bad actors and mischief-makers and stopping the spread of viral disinformation.
Apps like WhatsApp have built-in security features
1. Two-Step verification: It adds an extra degree of protection to their end-to-end encrypted texting account.
2. Touch ID or Face ID lock: This function is available on a number of phones from Apple, Samsung, and Google, among others. Some phones even have fingerprint sensors built into the screen that use ultrasound to create an image of the user’s fingers.
3. Forwarding limits: Some apps, such as WhatsApp, have imposed a five-chat limit on forwarding messages. As a result, it inhibits information exchange and checks the spread of disinformation.
4. Further restrictions on viral messages: WhatsApp has imposed additional restrictions on communications that have been sent several times. Messages that have been forwarded multiple times are labelled as “Forwarded many times.”
5. Disappearing messages: WhatsApp introduced this feature. New messages sent in individual or group chat will be deleted after seven days if this functionality is activated. The ‘view once’ feature was also introduced by WhatsApp. It makes photographs and movies that have been opened vanish.
6. Admin controls: Admins can choose who in a group can send messages. Similarly, Telegram’s cloud does not include hidden chats. It can only be accessible on the device that created it.
