Islamabad: Safer Internet Day 2024 coincides with data concerns regarding restricted access imposed on a number of well-known apps, leading users to download alternatives in order to get around the new regulations. In a time when enormous volumes of data are continuously gathered and examined, there is a greater danger than ever of identity theft, data breaches, and privacy violations. Thus, on February 6, which is marked yearly as a crucial reminder of the need of protecting personal data in our digital age, Kaspersky’s specialists emphasized the imperative requirement that users take an active role in their data protection.
Those attempting to circumvent the restrictions frequently utilize poorly built copycat downloads that either violate users’ rights completely or have unclear privacy policies. Furthermore, a lot of these apps have a tendency to disappear after a period for a variety of reasons, such a lack of users, which means private information may wind up in the hands of uninvited parties.
When it comes to installing anything on your devices, Kaspersky specialists feel that there’s no need to rush things in order to prevent such unpleasant situations. Searching for an alternative too quickly could mean you are risking your information because these applications or pirated versions of services might not be as concerned about user privacy as they should be.
The less information an app gathers about you, the better, as there’s a chance that personal information could be misused or accidentally disclosed due to inadequate data security procedures. Furthermore, once personal information is disclosed, it might be challenging to restrict its usage and distribution, which could result in long-term privacy problems. Consider restricting the apps that can operate without it’s access to the photo stream, contacts, and location in order to avoid problems of this kind. This also holds true for the microphone: restricted access will guarantee that programs don’t get private information by listening in on your conversations.
Limiting well-known apps has become more common than it formerly was. It is not always the case that users searching for alternatives find a high-quality app with an open privacy policy. According to Usman Qureshi, country representative for Kaspersky in Pakistan, “understanding users’ rights and paying attention to who and how the app collects data can help prevent personal information from falling into the wrong hands.”
In addition to alerting users when their phone numbers and other data are compromised, modern security solutions may prevent apps from accessing personal data and alert users when a harmful file has been downloaded. Additionally, there are services that, by following straightforward guidelines, assist in enhancing the protection of personal data.
