In a landmark decision that will affect the lives of all Indians, the Supreme Court today unanimously declared that right to privacy was a Fundamental right under the Constitution.
We end up daily making decisions that erode our privacy unknowingly. It could be online shopping, filling forms, job websites, social media, and even marketing calls from banks, telecallers and more. In short, anything that requires or uses personal information means an invasion of your privacy.
Now that the Supreme Court has declared that we have a Fundamental Right to protect our privacy. Here are 7 things we need to stop doing so that we can actually be mindful of our privacy
1.Stop clicking on any SMS and email links that come to you in your phones
2. Stop sharing your phone location with anyone and everyone
We understand your family needs to know where you are on a regular basis but not the 600 friends on Facebook or Snapchat. Did you know switching off your location data can help you solve your privacy problems to great extent. Only maps need your location and it is ok to give it out then but not for any and every app. A Draw and colour app or a gaming app does not need your location. This means you might leak your location publicly without noticing it. Even your photo's GPS data can compromise your privacy and if you post a lot of photos on social media, your location is in that metadata.
3.Stop forgetting to log of social media
Sites like Facebook, Google, and Twitter track what you're doing online to get a better idea of your behaviour and sends you ads, sms, mails personalised to your requirement.They usually do this through cookies, and we make it even easier for them to track what we're doing by never logging out of these social networks.
4. Stop giving your details to retailers
Retail stores always ask you for your phone number, address, date of birth.
5. When you get free wi-fi what are you compromising?
Don’t do your online banking or anything sensitive on a public Wi-Fi network. When you connect to an open Wi-Fi network like one at a coffee shop or airport, the network is generally unencrypted (you don’t need a password for it). People can actually see what you are browsing and personal details in case you fill any such form.
6. Stop trusting your secure apps
Yes, they are working to secure data around and from rather than just keep your data secure.
7. Stop giving out more information than necessary
Most of the time, you may not have disclosed the information personally or directly. The data can stolen; misplaced, or misused by someone else who was trusted to hold that information. This holds true when you sign documents for banking, SIM cards and other such service. Remember that along with signature on the photocopy also mention the purpose for which you are submitting it. Never let your ID to be scanned or copied without reading through the privacy policy and being absolutely satisfied with what will happen to your information. Always read privacy policies.
Keep in mind:
1.Make note of whom your private information is disclosed to. The fact that the company you are dealing with promises to protect your information doesn’t necessarily mean that the third parties it shares your information with are going to do the same.
2.If an organisation or a person wants to collect your personal information, ask what the information is required for, what they will do with it, how securely it is going to be kept and who it will be disclosed to. You have an option to skip it.