Danger of silent data disclosure in social media trends

Recently, a new “trend” started via Instagram. For those who don’t know, this term refers to a social media trend that can be copied and copied until exhaustion by its users.

In this specific trend, thousands of people invited to answer very personal questionsIncluding your favorite foods and hobbies, as well as a fear or phobia.

Such widespread exposure of data has begun to worry experts, including a lawyer who explained some of the dangers of sharing personal information on social networks.

Lawyer says it’s fashionable to give free information to criminals, citing new Instagram trend pic.twitter.com/O2IXB2deAg

— FUTRICAS (@futricasefofoca) December 5, 2023

In the video, the professional believes all of this could make it easier for criminals to commit virtual fraud. Looking at the comments shared in many places, especially Twitter, it is possible to see that most users do not believe the warning.

But ultimately, is there any basis for concerns about the silent disclosure of data on social media trends? Check out more details on the subject below!

What are the risks of quietly revealing data on social media?

Although this trend is quite fun and brings more interaction to all users involved, there is no way to ignore all the dangers that sharing very simple information can cause. Generally speaking, cybercriminals don’t need much to take action.

To give you an idea, based on publicly available information on social networks, you are exposed to identity theft and enable the creation of social engineering through fraudulent activities in your name – Incident where criminals use details posted on social media to create stories and commit fraud — and also contributes to other data obtained.

Thinking that the scenario is harmless and nothing will happen to you is even more dangerous because criminals act like predators, waiting for a specific opportunity to get away with it.

Imagine that you will participate in an election process and post about the issue on your social network. By searching your history on the platform, fraudsters can find data that provides context to trigger phishing emails, for example.

And getting involved with the real thing may cause you to not even notice the fraud.

How do social networks facilitate data disclosure?

While they are great for connecting people at different times and sharing news and entertainment, Social media can also be synonymous with something to avoid. And many people are motivated to expose themselves precisely because of this constant exposure.

Social networks somehow create a very strong and solid sense of belonging, motivating people to leave their own lives open. There are many examples of digital influencers becoming famous through them with very simple circumstances.

This factor has the ability to create great emotional bonds and make other users try the same fate. Therefore, joining all trends becomes a basic thing. But these trends are not always what they seem!

Even if the creators simply want to develop new interactions with social media users, without any ulterior motives, criminals do not have the same idea; Additionally, companies eager to sell their products also follow whatever is trending. moment..

How important is privacy on social media and how can we protect ourselves?

In this sense, it is interesting to think more about our privacy on social networks, especially when there are many digital threats floating around and ready to surprise us.

So there are some important tips for thinking about the topic. The first is to have a closed and private profile., where you have more control over who sees what you share. However, if this is not what you want, it is also possible to restrict certain access.

For example, on Facebook, you can list a set of permissions for anyone who visits your profile and isn’t already your friend. There’s unfortunately no way to do this much deprivation on Instagram, and the tip in this case is to avoid posts with location information in the feed and use the “Best Friends” feature in stories.

It is now possible to use data encryption in messaging applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram. Using codes and algorithms, your information, even while in transit, remains private and secure from more advanced attackers—those who already understand the programming language to commit crimes.

For those who are regular Twitter users, in addition to the option to deactivate their profile, A good tip is to use your nickname and not your full name on social networking. Don’t include your date of birth or location in your Page’s description.

And in general, whenever possible, review all privacy settings of the platforms you use to see if they have new security mechanisms. Also be sure to create strong passwords and be aware that by participating in certain trends you will be exposed in some way.

All this can ensure that your privacy is respected. Just like in our personal lives, we only let others know about our lives based on what we choose. No one wants their privacy violated, but it is necessary to have good practices in place to prevent unexpected attacks from occurring.

And pay attention: you are not alone! The terms of use of social networks must comply with the requirements established by the General Data Protection Law (LGPD). Therefore, if something happens to you, The platform may be held liable if it does not provide some form of support for your issue, especially when we talk about invasions and the sale of personal data to companies.

Unico Data Protection Officer Diana Troper explained in an interview with the GZH portal: “The LGPD imposes obligations on processing intermediaries, but the action of society will certainly accelerate the process of acculturation and encourage institutions to position themselves correctly towards data protection.”

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