Is Anybody Safe with Online Details Nowadays?

More media controversy was sparked recently when Colombian singing sensation Shakira became the latest victim in the celebrity photo leak scandal.

The Hips Don’t Lie singer, wife to FC Barcelona centre-back Gerard Piqué, had personal photos of her in the nude leaked after her iCloud account was hacked.

It comes in a long line of hacking scandals which have shown celebrities’ personal photos being leaked – most notably Jennifer Lawrence, whose nude snaps caused ripples over the internet and even catalysed legal action. Celebrities from all walks of life have been victim to public shaming for what they consider to be their own private property, with many sports stars’ wives and girlfriends including Kate Upton named as victims, largely due to their extensive presence in the limelight.

But in a world where camera phones are ever improving and selfies are the norm, it could perhaps be time to ask: is anybody safe with online details nowadays? The aforementioned cases were all victims as a result of their images being saved into photo sharing programs such as iCloud, which have evidently been shown to have their security flaws.

So how can we ensure our online security is not compromised? For one, the remit extends far beyond just taking a few risque photographs; other than declining the option to save our files on a shared drive, we can also ensure we access sites which have ample security measures in place.

Take for example, the online gaming world, which has to employ stringent security measures to ensure sensitive payment details are not leaked. Many sites give players peace of mind, for example, Gaming Club uses personal data protection tactics to ensure that security is not compromised. The company is partnered with Datacash Ltd, who have been processing payments since 1997, which helps to ensure credit card details are fully encrypted. They also have an on-board fraud time to keep any security concerns at bay. By choosing to deal with these reputable online retailers, we can take steps to nip in the bud any potential breaches of security.

Of course, we are perhaps not as under threat of having our privacy leaked as those in the limelight, but we can do our utmost to ensure that we are not giving too much away. For example, the recently proposed terms of use for Facebook ask users if they are happy to have their location tracked for marketing purposes – you can ensure you click no to help keep yourself safe.

We live in a world where privacy is becoming an ever precious commodity. Thankfully however, the legal implications and our own rights are there for us to protect us when we need it most.