How to Stay Protected on Working From Home

Working from home has its benefits. Spend more time with your family, drive
less, and hold meetings in the comfort of your own home. However, as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people around the world could be forced to work from
home, jeopardizing their own, their families', and their employers' safety and privacy.
Many people use Zoom or Microsoft Teams, but the majority of the world is now using
Zoom because it is simple to use and can be used for remote work.

For several people, working from home is a fun concept. Some people are
capitalizing on the novelty by using the #WorkFromHome hashtag on social media to
share images of their home offices as well as photos of friends and family members.
This may seem to be innocuous, but it has the potential to expose a wealth of private
information about you and those around you. This means that if you post photos of
homeworking arrangements involving emails, post, or delivery packages, for example,
your home address will become public. Sharing photos and names of family members
or pets with others may expose your passwords or even your location. The growing
practice of sharing screenshots of Zoom work group chats or other video hangouts
raises privacy concerns, as companies have been found to indiscriminately capture and
misuse the images we post online without our permission.

Nurse, J. (2020, March 27). Working from home risks online security and privacy: How to stay protected.
How to Stay Protected on Working from Home. https://techxplore.com/news/2020-03-home-online-
privacy.html

Tech Companies that are Tracking and Misusing our Data and What We Can Do
Last year, Privacy Australia conducted a survey of 2,000 people and found that
57.9% of respondents had little faith in companies' ability to protect their personal
information. The 2017 Australian Community Attitudes to Privacy Survey, which polled
1,800 people, found that 79 percent of respondents were uncomfortable with targeted
advertising based on their online activities, 83 percent were uncomfortable with social
networking companies keeping their information, and 66 percent believed it was
standard practice for mobile apps.
The Digital Rights and Governance Project at the University of Sydney published
the Digital Rights in Australia survey in 2017, which found that 62% of 1,600
respondents believed they had no control over their online privacy. Around 47% were
also concerned about the government invading their privacy. When it comes to personal
data, distinguishing between legitimate and illegal collections is extremely difficult since
a variety of factors must be considered, including the context in which the data is
collected, the methodology used to gain user consent, and country-specific laws.
Furthermore, it is almost impossible to determine whether or not customer data is being
misused within an organization or in business-to-business communications. Despite
widespread media outrage, the Cambridge Analytica data scandal occurred last year, in
which a third-party company was able to gather personal data from millions of Facebook
users and use it in election campaigns. Furthermore, human annotators are said to be
used by Amazon and Apple to listen to personal conversations captured by their digital
assistants Alexa and Siri. At this pace, skepticism toward online privacy can only grow if
nothing is done.
There is, however, a need to be upbeat. Recent events have compelled techs to
rethink their secret data-processing activities. For its role in the Cambridge Analytica
fiasco and associated data-sharing with third parties, Facebook, for example, is facing a
$5 billion fine. Facebook has been forced to improve its privacy controls and be more
open regarding its users as a result of the public outcry surrounding this incident.
Although it is undeniable that new regulatory safeguards are strengthening online
security, the effectiveness of these safeguards is still up for discussion.

Seneviratne, S. (2019, November 26). The ugly truth: tech companies are tracking and misusing our data,
and there’s little we can do. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/the-ugly-truth-tech-
companies-are-tracking-and-misusing-our-data-and-theres-little-we-can-do-127444

Facebook Photo-tagging Lawsuit settled for $650 Million

Residents of Illinois who say Facebook used their biometric data without their
permission will receive a $650 million refund. In April 2015, almost 1.6 million people in
the Prairie State filed a class-action lawsuit against Facebook in Cook County Circuit
Court on behalf of plaintiff Carlo Licata. Facebook was accused of violating an Illinois
privacy statute by scanning photos posted by users with facial-recognition technology
and digitally storing information about people's faces without their permission, according
to the lawsuit.
In Illinois, the Biometric Information Privacy Act mandates that companies that
capture data such as faces and fingerprints or identify users without their permission be
prosecuted. The case was first moved to federal court in California, where it was given
class-action status after being transferred to federal court in Chicago. The settlement
class included approximately 6.9 million Facebook users who had their face models
created and processed by the social media giant after June 7, 2011. To be registered,
users had to have lived in the state for at least six months in the previous nine years. By
the deadline, approximately 22% of registered Facebook users in Illinois had submitted
claim forms. A California federal judge, James Donato, accepted the large settlement on
Friday, February 26. He called it "a big victory for consumers in the fiercely contested
field of digital privacy." According to Donato, the settlement "would put at least $345 in
the hands of any class member interested in being compensated," and he directed
Facebook to get the money into the hands of impacted users "as quickly as possible."
If no appeal is filed, impacted Illinois residents will receive a check in the mail
within the next two months, according to Chicago attorney Jay Edelson, who brought
the initial lawsuit against Facebook about six years ago. "It's a big deal," Edelson said.
The author says, "It sends a fairly clear message that biometric privacy rights are here
to stay in Illinois." “We are pleased to have reached an agreement that allows us to
move on from this issue in the best interests of our community and shareholders,”
Facebook said in a statement.

Coble, S. (2021, March 1). Facebook Photo-tagging Lawsuit Settled for $650m. Infosecurity Magazine.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/facebook-phototagging-lawsuit/

While 75% of Americans are worried about online privacy, majority do nothing.
Internet use in 2020 increased significantly as compared to pre-pandemic levels.
As a result of increased online activity, public understanding about what happens to
their data has grown; nearly three-quarters (72%) of Americans say they are "very
worried" to "very concerned" about their online privacy. In addition, nearly two-thirds
(62%) of consumers in the United States said they have become more aware about how
their personal data is used digitally in the last year, citing examples such as seeing ad
targeting based on their browsing history, reading an article about how personal data is
used online, and seeing an online ad targeting their venue.
42 % of Americans are uneasy with advertisements targeted to their browsing
history, place, sexual preference, political affiliation, and/or age, contrary to what many
advertisers would like you to believe. People frequently choose keeping their personal
information private over receiving personalized TV show or product recommendations,
tailored search results, or even exclusive deals. The study looked at what steps people
have taken or plan to take to protect their personal information online, in addition to
getting a sense of Americans' online privacy concerns.
There is a disconnect, according to Startpage, between the 72 percent of
respondents who are very or extremely concerned about their online privacy and the
concrete measures taken to resolve these issues. In the previous 12 months, nearly a
fifth of people (17%) admitted to taking no action to protect their personal data online,
while the majority (60%) of those who did said they changed their password online. Few
people actively take notice, apart from changing codes. So, how can Americans be
motivated to make a privacy-related reform in 2021?
Dr. Pychyl recommends the following treatment options: "Specific action
execution intentions are successful, particularly in the sense of the conditional 'if... then.'
If I'm about to use a search engine to look up a keyword, for example, I'll take five
minutes and use a private search tool instead.' This approach provides a clear prompt
for action, increasing the likelihood that we can remember and carry out our strategy."

75% of Americans very concerned about online privacy, but most don't take any significant action. (2021,
February 10). While 75% of Americans Are Worried about Online Privacy, Majority Do Nothing.
https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/94560-of-americans-very-concerned-about-online-privacy-but-
most-dont-take-any-significant-action

Privacy in Digital World Is Impossible, Survey Says

Privacy in the modern world is unlikely, according to a new Kaspersky Lab report
that looked at customers' perceptions about the security of their personal information
online. Despite laws such as the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and
California's Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as well as subsequent discussion about the
need to protect consumers' personal data, a recent study finds that 56% of people
agree that complete privacy in the modern digital world is impossible.
In part, the recent high-profile data scandals at Facebook and Equifax have
undermined any remaining consumer trust that their personal data would ever be
completely secure. According to a report by Kaspersky Lab, 26% of people have had
their personal information accessed without their permission, with the percentage rising
to nearly a third (31%) among those aged 16 to 24. Since they believe companies are
incapable of protecting their complete privacy, 39% of people said they would exchange
their personal information for money, even if it meant granting complete access to their
records to a complete stranger. In contrast, nearly one-fifth of those polled (18%) said
they would give up their personal information in return for something free.

Zurkus, K. (2019, March 27). Privacy in Digital World Is Impossible, Survey Says. Infosecurity Magazine.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/privacy-in-digital-world-impossible/