Information Belongs to Me, Yet I Choose Not to Control It Directly
Getting Bites and Bytes: The Unexpected Connection
A casual read with an informative twist
Dental appliances and digital storage units share more than just names in my peculiar tale. My persistent back pain led me to explore dental appliances online, and within 24 hours, I found myself on the receiving end of an unexpected offer—dental services in Albania. The call came from Albenga, Liguria, a stone's throw from my computer screen, thanks to some sneaky cookies and data profiling.
The voice on the other line belonged to a kind lady who admitted to tracking me through banners on websites I've frequented. I had to decline the irresistible travel deals, as captivating as they might have been. However, my attempts to reach her proved futile—the number was connected to a shop in Savona, selling boat engines. How could this be possible?
Andrea Ciappesoni, the DPO and cybersecurity expert behind bugfixing.it, was the one to decipher this mystery. He outlined that by visiting "bite" sites, I had inadvertently agreed to certain user profiling cookies, which, coupled with my email or Google accounts, led to my phone number being accessed. The Albenga number, luckily, was a virtual one, far from the realm of reality.
Sharing is Caring—or Is It?
Data, the new "oil," is valuable, and so is metadata, as Edward Snowden pointed out. Everything about us—our interests, relationships, whereabouts, and routines—can be inferred from data collection and analysis. That information carries an economic value, helping guide commercial and political decisions.
Google, Amazon, Facebook, and other corporations acquire data largely through user consent. However, much of the critical data exchange happens in the deep web, hidden from the public eye. This is where hackers peddle stolen healthcare records, lists of passwords, and more.
"Total security isn't achievable," admits Ciappesoni, highlighting that even his BugFixing team—dubbed "ethical hackers"—cannot guarantee absolute protection.
The Deep Web DisTour
From a few cents to several thousand euros, stolen healthcare data or password lists are hot commodities in the deep web. Hospitals are often targets of these cyberattacks, exposing sensitive patient information.
The key takeaway: regardless of how meticulous we are with our online security measures, we can never be completely immune to threats.
Navigating the Digital Age: Expert Advice
Cybersecurity professionals like Ciappesoni emphasize transparency during data collection and prioritize user consent. They advocate for clear communication on data usage, robust security mechanisms, and educating users on the importance of privacy protection.
From the Dietitian of Data Security:
- Transparency: Companies must clearly explain data collection, usage, and sharing practices.
- Consent Management: Users should have straightforward options to consent or decline data collection.
- Data Minimization: Only collect essential data for the intended purpose.
- Data Protection: Implement strong security measures to safeguard collected data.
By following these guidelines, experts aim to foster privacy protection in our digital world, ensuring users remain in control of their personal information.
- In the digital age, data and metadata, like the oil of the modern era, hold significant value and can reveal personal details about individuals, guiding commercial and political decisions (Sharing is Caring—or Is It?).
- The deep web, hidden from public view, is a significant platform for data exchange, where hackers sell stolen healthcare records, password lists, and other sensitive information (The Deep Web DisTour).
- Cybersecurity experts, like Andrea Ciappesoni, recommend transparency during data collection, prioritizing user consent, utilizing clear communication on data usage, robust security mechanisms, and educating users on privacy protection to ensure users maintain control over their personal information (Navigating the Digital Age: Expert Advice).
