Protecting your privacy

Your private life belongs to you. That is the law, and it is also a fact. Contrary to what you might think, the harm is not always caused by other people. You are the first actor in the idea of internet privacy, relative to digital identity. The first information that appears on the web was revealed by you, through social networks for example. Those networks hold the most information about you, which is why it matters to be very careful about what you publish there.

It is true that protecting personal data on the internet is now at the center of every debate, because these sites make us relatively talkative about our private lives. We publish our photos as well as our moods. We mention our tastes and preferences through small actions as simple as hitting the “like” button on a page, whatever it is. All of that can be found, and it will talk about you, without you even noticing. Whatever you do on this kind of site, you risk seeing that data used in ways that will probably bother you. So first find ways to protect your internet privacy.

Handling social networks well

Social networks are not a bad thing in themselves. You only have to know how to use them, and not publish anything without thinking. As long as you simply log in without doing a single thing, you do not risk much. But as soon as you start acting, you can be seen or even watched by almost anyone. Managing personal data therefore forces you to be firm about how you publish on social networks. If you want internet privacy protection that actually works, avoid publishing photos if you can, and limit interactions as much as possible so nobody has a chance to use that against you.

Know, though, that your private life is protected by law, and that nobody is allowed to use your data if it belongs to you, or to make defamatory remarks about you.

The right to be forgotten

Since 2010, the Right to Be Forgotten Charter has existed, under which you can more easily manage the data you publish on the web, report abuse, and protect personal information collected by social networks among others. This charter was adopted by several websites such as Viadeo or Copains d’avant, and even Microsoft. Facebook and Google, among others, did not want to sign it, even though they took part in the thinking that produced it.