Has social media become the enemy of your privacy? The truth revealed in the report.

Have you ever noticed that as soon as you talk to friends about something, that thing suddenly starts appearing in your Facebook, Instagram or YouTube feed? If this has happened, then it cannot be a mere coincidence. A new report has revealed that social media apps keep an eye on not only your posts but also your every move.

Every click is under surveillance

According to a recent report by UK research agency Apteco, many popular apps including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube silently track the activities of users. As simple as you think these apps are, in reality they are that clever. They record everything - your preferences, your search history, your location and even what you are interested in.

Who all are included in this list?

Not only social media, e-commerce and finance related apps are also not behind in collecting your personal information. This report states that apps like Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Amazon, Alexa, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter) and even PayPal closely monitor the digital habits of users.

Your digital life has become 'data'

The information collected through these apps creates a digital profile of you. It shows what you buy, what you are interested in, what are your opinions on which issues, and which people you connect with. The purpose of all this is to show you the kind of content that can influence your mind.

Data can be misused

Although companies claim that this data is taken only to improve user experience, many such cases have come to light in the past where data was misused. The Cambridge Analytica scandal cannot be forgotten, where the political thinking of millions of people was analyzed through social media data and an attempt was made to influence elections.

How to keep your privacy safe?

• If you want to continue using these apps but also want to protect your privacy, then some simple steps can help you:
• While installing the app, read every permission carefully, do not allow anything unnecessarily.
• Give sensitive permissions like camera, microphone and location only when necessary.
• Check the permissions of the apps from time to time by going to the phone settings and turn off unnecessary access.
• Download apps only from trusted and official platforms.
• Be sure to read the data policy, ratings and reviews of the apps.

The digital world brings as much risk as it provides convenience. Therefore, it is important that we do not just remain users, but also become sensible users. Trust technology, but not blindly.