How to Protect Your Digital Identity Online
With the technological advancements in the past century, we are now managing two identities instead of one, and digital is one of them. For example, in the past, we were known by our first name or full names and by our nicknames, but now it’s different. The term ”username” is used across all digital platforms like social media where people tend to choose a creative name like “tech savvy.” Like the second name, people also have profiles on different platforms as well, containing basic information about individuals as well. That’s actually your digital identity.
Vulnerability of Having a Digital Identity?
Your digital identity is the same as you’re in an institute and as the conventional procedure follows, you enter your basic information. But here’s an interesting yet alarming thing about digital identity, your data can be breached by an organization or individual.
How? Well, firstly it is not stored in a locker or local storage, instead it is on the internet, which makes it vulnerable. Hackers and authorities can easily get their hands on your information which makes the idea of having a digital identity daunting.
But, worry not! There are ways to protect yourself.
How to Protect Your Digital Identity Online
Setting a password seems enough for most of us, but it is not. This doesn’t mean that it is capable of protecting your data from any unauthorized access. You have to put your mind to it and must take precautionary measures There are many things to consider in order to protect your digital identity. The following are the ones that are a must if you want the assurance that your data and information are in safe hands.
The Basics
Basics are the steps that people often forget to do and hence their data gets breached, resulting in digital identity theft. That’s why, before you dive deep into the concepts of doing some fancy stuff that saves you big time, you should spend some time on the basics as well. These steps are as follows.
Secure Your Account
In order to safely browse through and get the most out of it without having to worry about your digital identity, you need to secure your account. And by securing your account, we don’t mean just setting a password, setting recovery email and number, and voila! This demands a little more.
There are a couple of awesome features that enable you to safely crawl through any page, ensuring that your data won’t be compromised. Following are the steps you need to take in order to secure your account:
- Make sure that your password is strong and doesn’t include information based on your personality, like your pet’s name, etc.
- Store your password in a password manager or at a place where it can’t be stolen.
- Enable two-factor authorization is your best pal when it comes to ensuring that your account is in safe hands.
- Register the devices that you use daily, unlike those that aren’t in your possession anymore.
- Check your password often and do change it once in a while.
Browse Wisely
The first and foremost tip to have a secure digital identity is to scroll through the web very wisely. No one knows which file is going to be the one that has a virus or malware. You have to be prepared and equip yourself with the basic tools like setting a good password which includes a mixture of characters, symbols, and numbers. Moreover, you need to ensure that:
- You don’t click any unwanted links.
- Don’t open any unauthorized websites.
- Don’t share your credentials over the internet.
Enhancing Your Security
Once you’re done with the aforementioned steps, it’s time to ensure that you are following the best practices that enhance your security further. Make sure you’re doing the following steps so that your digital identity doesn’t get tolerated at any point.
Check for Security Updates
To further secure your account to the point where there aren’t any flaws left, turning on automatic security updates is a must. This makes sure that your device is up and running with the latest security protocols.
Why Security Updates are Important?
Security updates are the pivot of having your device secure and up and running without any vulnerability. These updates are limited to a span and after a few years of the device’s release, these updates discontinue, making it a potential target for hackers. But this isn’t always the case because if your mobile still supports the latest features and is not too old, you are good to go.
More Private, More Secure
Well, at this moment, you might be thinking why being private is secure. We all want to showcase our lives on the internet as much as all celebrities do, and that is the point of having a digital identity, right? Well, it is absolutely right. But here’s the catch, it isn’t safe, really, we ain’t lying.
By being more private, we mean not sharing any confidential data that could be used against you. There are so many people on the internet and one of them could have thoughts of hurting you, and you will give them a headstart. This is why it is preferred to be as mysterious on the internet as you can unless you have the resources to protect yourself from any threat.
What Could Go Wrong?
There are endless possibilities that you are going to get in trouble with your own hands. Well, if you are well-known, or have a verified account, things are going to be okay. Moreover, it’s not always the case, and the trouble could be minor, but being careful isn’t a bad thing, right? For starters, your pictures and basic information can be used to set up multiple fake accounts and can be used for something bad. Also, criminals can get to you easily, as they will know enough to make you suffer.
That’s why it is preferred to protect your digital identity the same way you protect your real identity. The next point covers the last aspect that can get you into trouble and how avoiding it makes your life easier.
Think Twice Before Doing Anything
By this, we mean saying anything inappropriate, flaming in comments, abusing strangers, or even responding to a weird request.
Double-checking your actions is crucial as everything you do there stays there, always. This is why before we end this guide, we would highly suggest that while taking all the precautionary measures, you should be very careful of what you do. Just don’t post anything inappropriate, or say anything inappropriate. And whether you’re interacting with people or even the promotional content that you see, think twice before doing anything.
