Digital Privacy (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what digital privacy is, its characteristics, importance and risks of its absence. Also, privacy on the web.

What is digital privacy?

Digital privacy or privacy on the Internet, is he degree of control we have over the personal content that we voluntarily or involuntarily enter on the Internet as users, through web pages, applications or any other piece of software, especially when it is susceptible to being stored, used and marketed by third parties.

Digital privacy implies the right that people have to manage our “digital footprint” that is, the information that we leave behind when using the Internet and 2.0 technologies, and to limit its use by companies and third parties, both for legal and illegal purposes.

This is a contemporary concern that arose from the massification of online commerce and social exchange through digital platforms and social networks, linked to the so-called fourth generation Human Rights.

The problem with privacy and data protection on the Internet has to do with the fact that it is a relatively new area of human experience. That is why it is poorly regulated legally and without its own institutions.

Today, inconceivable amounts of information are shared on the Internet on a daily basis in a disorderly manner and, in many cases, without supervision, thanks to technological dynamics whose knowledge and specialized management are not precisely accessible to the public, that is, they are highly technical and specialized in management.

Numerous national and international initiatives have emerged at the beginning of the 21st century, interested in a legal regulatory framework or some type of jurisdiction regarding the management of information on the Internet. In particular, it seeks to regulate “big data”: the large amounts of information that users voluntarily enter into the network, and that is marketed and used for private purposes without their knowledge or consent.

See also: Risks and dangers of social networks

Features of digital privacy

Digital privacy is broadly characterized by the following:

Refers to all forms of information that Internet users leave in their wake when browsing or using different types of applications and software. This can range from fundamental personal data, such as name, telephone number or credit card number, or more abstract data such as geographical location, personal contacts, browsing history and information consumption patterns, for example.
It also refers to own content generated by users of the Internet, such as messages, images, videos and recordings, voluntarily or involuntarily circulated on the Internet, through private or public channels.
It is not limited to the use of web pages, but also to data transmission when performing operations e-commerce, use applications, instant messaging services or social networks.
It is usually regulated by local or national laws contemplated in each particular legal system. However, the global nature of the Internet always poses a challenge for its local regulation.
It concerns software development and online services companies, and Internet access providers who sell this service indiscriminately, and therefore must be responsible, even partially, for their mode of use.

Problems and risks in digital privacy

The risks posed by the absence of digital privacy policies are much more serious than the majority of the population assumes, and can affect private life in catastrophic ways, if the relevant measures are not taken in time. The main of these risks and problems are summarized in:

Tracking and geolocation. Devices such as cell phones or even the IP address of computers can reveal to third parties quite detailed aspects of the users' geographical location, such as where we are and for how long, who we meet and where, which can be exploited by malicious people to commit crimes and harassment.
Espionage and retention of confidential data. Through hackers and malware, it is possible for third parties to gain access to our Internet-connected devices and manipulate them to capture confidential information, such as credit card or social security numbers, or even compromising information using the webcam or microphone. of our devices. With that information they could then carry out blackmail.
Traffic analysis. Different applications record our online habits, storing information about what we see and for how long, and then market that information to third parties, without us knowing who they are, what they will do with it or how much money the description of our Internet habits is worth.
SPAM and false advertising. This is nothing new for a traditional Internet user: false advertisements, fake emails or emails that pretend to be from our banks (phishing or identity theft), in short, there are very different strategies on the Internet to capture our data and use it in against us, or to bombard us with advertising that is not only annoying, but in the long run restricts the capabilities of our electronic equipment.
Cyberbullying. Indiscriminate access to personal information allows cruel phenomena such as cyberstalking or cyberbullying, in which one or more individuals dedicate themselves to humiliating, defaming or psychologically harming a person, especially children and adolescents, in an even more ruthless version. of bullying or bullying.

Importance of digital privacy

digital privacy phishing importance — The lack of digital privacy affects social, economic and political aspects of life.

Digital privacy It is essential to guarantee the correct, respectful and safe use of the dynamics that the Internet makes possible. It is a step, if you will, towards a friendlier, safer Internet that encourages responsible use of technology.

Furthermore, the risks posed by a lack of digital privacy are real and immense, and its effects on everyday life can be tragic, especially in the hyperconnected and vigilant world that is shaping up towards the mid-21st century.

Privacy on the web

To comply with online privacy regulations, there are already different measures that must be met for the recipient of the information, although in many cases they are far from ideal. The following are examples of this:

Legal notices. Legal notices are informative content that a company is obliged to introduce in its digital portals and in its communications, to provide the user with all the legal and commercial information they need to know with whom they are doing transactions, that is, who they buy from or from. who provides you with your information.
Privacy policies. On web pages and in certain types of applications, access to confidential or personalized information can only occur when the user accepts the terms and conditions of use. This usually happens when entering the page and generally under the same logic of the small print in advertisements and contracts: something written in a cumbersome and abundant way, which no user reads or takes too seriously, even though it really is.
“Cookies”. This is the name given to small files that are installed in users' browsing software, and which serve to remember information about their behavior. Some may be useful for remembering passwords or logged in sessions, and others may instead compile data and send it to third parties for advertising purposes. The installation of these files, however, must be expressly accepted in order to be legal.
Privacy in emails. Companies that send massive information by email are obliged to take the relevant measures so that the user distinguishes between formal and official communications, and copies or imitations for unscrupulous purposes, and so that any data exchange carried out with the institution occurs. under strict security and privacy protocols. Likewise, companies that carry out mass advertising (mailing lists) must give users the opportunity to unsubscribe at any time they wish to stop receiving their mailings.