Have you ever stopped to wonder if the seemingly harmless selfies you snap every day could potentially compromise your online privacy?
We live in a time when taking self-portraits has become second nature. Data shows that nearly 92 million selfies are taken every day, with individuals spending an average of seven minutes per day on this activity. There is no denying that selfies are more than just entertainment, they are a form of self-expression.
However, it is also important to understand that each time you take and share a selfie, you could be exposing yourself to threats that extend far beyond the confines of our screens. From surveillance through facial recognition technology to data breaches and leaks, the consequences of sharing these digital reflections can have a substantial impact on your online privacy and security.
So, let’s explore the hidden dangers behind our favorite self-portraits and understand how they might threaten your digital security.
How do your selfies risk your online privacy?
Your selfie could compromise your online privacy in the following ways:
Facial recognition vulnerability
Facial recognition technology has undergone a massive transformation since its inception in the 1960s. Today, this remarkable technology is used on multiple fronts. For instance, you may be using it to open your smartphone every day, while law enforcement officials could be using it to scan the faces of criminals against their databases.
However, as facial recognition becomes more prevalent, you must realize that your selfies could be vulnerable to this technology without you even realizing it. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, leading facial recognition systems have an error rate of just 0.08%.
In other words, algorithms can identify people and track them with an alarming accuracy rate based on their photos, which include selfies shared on social media.
Data breaches and identity theft
A 2018 survey showed that nearly 82% of adults in the US had taken a selfie and uploaded it to social media. However, did you know that the photos you share with your friends and loved ones can potentially expose you to data breaches and even lead to identity theft?
For those unaware, in 2019, a popular photo-editing app reportedly leaked the data of its 13 million users online, including their names, email addresses, approximate locations, selfies, and facial data. Unfortunately, this wasn’t an isolated incident. There are numerous camera apps with billions of downloads that could be stealing user data and infecting their device with malware.
Needless to say, such data breaches and leaks could allow cybercriminals to use victims’ sensitive data for malicious purposes, causing severe emotional and financial distress.
Unauthorized access through social media
How often do you upload a selfie on Instagram, Facebook, and other social media platforms? If you are a millennial with a smartphone, you likely do it every now and then. But, have you ever thought about how criminals could gain access to your favorite clicks and use them for nefarious means?
Even if you have strict privacy settings on your social media accounts, please know that cybercriminals can still gain access by breaking into your accounts through a weak password or a phishing attack. They could then use your selfies to create fake accounts, impersonate you, or even conduct social engineering attacks.
Furthermore, these malicious actors can gather the personal information available on your social media profiles and combine them with your selfies to build comprehensive user profiles, which would expose you to identity theft.
Geolocation and metadata
When you take a selfie with a smartphone or digital camera, the device often embeds geolocation data, also known as GPS coordinates, and other metadata into the image file. If you post this selfie on social media or any public platform without stripping the metadata, anyone who has access to the image can extract this information, potentially compromising your online privacy and safety.
For example, if you take a selfie at your home and share it on social media with the location data intact, it could actually reveal your address to strangers, making you vulnerable to stalking or burglary.
It is also worth mentioning that metadata includes unique identifiers, personal information, location, and user activity. So, essentially, you could be risking your digital security by uploading your selfie on the internet.
Should you stop taking selfies?
It’s not necessary to stop taking selfies – as long as you are mindful of how and where you share them. Here are some points to consider:
Limit public sharing
Who doesn’t want people to like and comment on their selfies? However, if you are worried about your digital footprint and want to boost online privacy, it may be a good idea to avoid
posting selfies on public platforms where anyone can access them. Instead, consider opting for more private settings or share them only with close friends and family. For example, if you’re celebrating a special occasion, consider using a private messaging app to share your selfies with your family and friends.
Review app permissions
While it may seem a little overwhelming (and frankly, boring) to constantly review your app permissions, it is generally a good idea to keep an eye on which apps have access to your camera and photo gallery. The thing is, some applications, such as photo editing apps, may unnecessarily collect your selfies and facial data even if they don’t need those features to function. In such situations, it might be best to avoid granting such permissions.
Disable geotagging
Don’t want strangers to find out where you live and work? Well, you can turn off the geotagging feature on your smartphone’s camera to prevent location data from being embedded in your selfies. This way, you won’t inadvertently reveal your exact whereabouts when sharing a perfect click with your followers. For instance, if you take a selfie at home, you wouldn’t have to worry about others learning your address just by looking at the photo.
Regularly audit social media accounts
Popular social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, regularly update their privacy settings and policies. Therefore, it is recommended to periodically review and update the privacy settings on your accounts to ensure your selfies and other data remain perfectly safe and secure. In addition, don’t forget to double-check who can see your posts, and adjust settings accordingly.
Lucky for you, PurePrivacy – our premium digital privacy manager- can help you protect your online privacy and maintain your digital footprint without any hassle. It can also help you block online trackers and reclaim your personal information from data brokers. Put simply, using PurePrivacy for social media privacy can help you secure your data on different platforms from one location.
Share thoughtfully
Last but not least, consider the potential dangers of sharing photos online before uploading your selfies. Make sure you only share your self-portraits with trusted individuals after taking all the necessary precautions to strip them of your metadata and geolocation. While doing so could seem annoying at times, please remember that these extra few seconds could help you keep your home address, workplace, school, and other details private.
To conclude, selfies have become a fun and common part of our online interactions. However, we must also be aware of the risks they pose to our privacy. Protecting ourselves involves being cautious about the platforms we share our selfies on, regularly reviewing and adjusting privacy settings, and being mindful of the potential consequences of oversharing personal information.
So, the next time you snap a selfie, take a moment to consider how it could impact your online privacy and take the necessary steps to keep your data safe.
On a side note, if you want to learn more about how to boost online privacy with PurePrivacy, stay tuned to PureVPN Blog.
Read more: Why posting your kids’ photos online might not be a good idea
