DATA PRIVACY, PROTECTION AND ETHICS; This is why it matters more than ever.

Whenever you browse the internet or shop online like Naivas or even use an app like Tinder, your data gets collected. Corporations track what you search, where you go, not forgetting what you say when near your phone (call it phone eavesdropping), but not all of these is harmful, actually take an example of personalized recommendations on YouTube or even Netflix, well I guess we all like it. This could be harmful if your data is leaked, misused or even sold without your consent.
This is where data privacy, protection and ethics come in. therefore understanding data protection now is crucial than ever been. It is estimated that over 5 billion of personal records have been leaked due to data breaches, this basically means names, emails, passwords or even bank details have been exposed to unauthorized people.

So what is data (in singular, datum), these are facts and figures of information that can be manipulated when making decisions, solving a problem, understanding trends or when creating new products.

Let’s now understand data privacy- this is all about your rights to control your personal information. Who do you give it to, how it should be used and whether it should be shared. This matters because as discussed earlier, companies collect your personal details when you sign up for service and websites collect cookies to monitor your browsing mannerisms-but do you really know what they do with it?

Governments worldwide have enacted and enforced laws to ensure user data protection. For example, Kenya’s Data Protection Act (in Kenya) –which dictates how data is handled. GDPR (in Europe)- that requires companies to get your permission before collection, amongst many others around the world. As an individual you should always check privacy settings on apps and websites because many do collect more than necessary data.
While privacy is about who controls your data, protection is about keeping it secure from hackers and misuse. Despite all these data can be stolen in the following ways:
1.weak passwords; e.g. your date of birth makes it easy for hackers.

1. phishing scams; like fake emails that tricks you to giving out sensitive information.
2. hacking and data breaches; cybercriminals can steal passwords and personal information. There have been recommendations on how to protect your data. Here are some ways to do it; 1.Use strong passwords 2.Avoid clicking on suspicious links or emails 3.Enable two factor authentication for extra security. The future of data protection relies heavily on governments that should enact stronger privacy laws, better user control, where companies should be forced to give more options, Artificial intelligence and ethical data use should be transparent etc.

We live in a world where data is currency therefore this is a wakeup call for every one of us to take charge of our own data security by doing the following; staying informed about data privacy laws and your rights, think before you share your personal info online, use stronger passwords and review privacy settings on social media and apps. These are just but few tips that we all can do to ensure that we are staying safe online.

let me hear from you more about data privacy and protection.