Internet privacy concerns the collection and use of personal information (PI) in digital settings like social media, email, mobile phones and other Web-based services. Controlling PI online must be an ongoing effort by individuals and businesses. Cyber threats abound, each with its own unique methods to steal or exploit private data. As a result, the need for more internal and external safeguards is critical to protecting data.
As the Internet has evolved, some people have become more conscious of internet privacy issues and want to limit what they share online. While some want the strongest privacy protection possible, others are happy with less rigorous limits on sharing. Many companies now offer workarounds to help control what’s shared, while some browsers and software are configured to block third-party tracking.
Most Internet users connect to the Web through an ISP, which has the potential to monitor online activities. This data may include IP addresses, browsing histories and other data that can be used to identify individual users. Using this information, some marketers and market research firms build profiles of “typical Internet users” that are not linked to real people. This is considered a privacy violation.
Data that doesn’t have a direct link to a person is called metadata, and it can be analyzed by artificial intelligence systems. This type of data can be a valuable asset for cybersecurity, but it also can provide the basis for hacking, identity theft and other crimes.