In today’s tech-driven world, ensuring you’re as safe as possible with your valuable information is crucial.
There are a lot of risky things online these days that are often described as being perfectly safe. From texts imitating banks to suspicious emails looking more and more convincing, there are a few common ways that make it easier for your information to be compromised. Apps can also make a big difference as to how safe you are when using your smartphone, so read more about two that you might not realize are holding onto a lot of your information.
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1. WhatsApp
WhatsApp might seem like a very straightforward app that is all about messaging people back and forth, but as it turns out, it's likely doing more with your location than you may realize.
"People trust WhatsApp because of its end-to-end encryption, but that encryption doesn't cover your location data the way most users assume," explains tech safety pro Chris Nyhuis. "WhatsApp's 'Live Location' sharing feature can broadcast your exact position for up to eight hours at a time, and if you've ever shared your location in a group chat, every member of that group had access to your real-time movements. It's a feature people use casually, sharing location with a friend so they can find the restaurant, but it carries serious implications, particularly for anyone who forgot someone was on the chat. The default duration is set far longer than most people need, and many forget to turn it off."
2. Facebook
Facebook is one of today's most popular social media apps, and it's become a much larger platform with numerous features. However, in order for these features to function, they need data from you, including your location.
"Facebook needs location data to enable features like 'nearby friends' and marketplace listings that are more relevant and doable for you," notes tech pro Steven Athwal. "It gets this data from your background activity, using Wi-Fi signals and device data. As Facebook operates within a wider ecosystem of apps, it shares location insights across the platforms, so even if you turn them off here but keep them on Instagram, it can still create a detailed image of your location and behavior."
