What You Need To Know About The Ongoing Privacy War

The average app includes six third-party trackers that collect and share your online data, but you knew that already. Protecting online privacy has been a hot topic for some years now. You are aware of the privacy war that's been going on. Protecting online privacy and security had been a significant stance for leading tech companies, with companies like Apple and Facebook taking a very different approach towards online privacy and data sharing.

The decisions made by these tech giants are causing a ripple effect throughout the tech world. We here at Dropship USA work with entrepreneurs and help them by providing the perfect platforms to sell their products. Because of our intimate relationship with user data and online privacy, we thought we should let you know what's going on so that you can strategize around it and create the perfect business that meets modern standards.

So what do you need to know about the online privacy war? Well, let's start by defining online privacy and security and then move on from there to the tech giants. Our goal is to make sure you know the most important aspects of this ongoing online privacy war. So let's begin!

What Is Online Data Privacy & Security?

Well, online privacy and security revolve around user data. Meaning the section related to data security and governs how an individual or an organization handles data – consent, notice, and regulatory obligations. There are three main aspects to it. The first is to see whether or how data is shared with third parties. Second, if the information was legally collected or stored. The third aspect is whether or not the organization or individual follows the regulations set by governing bodies. The most popular regulatory restrictions are:

GDPR,

HIPAA,

GLBA,

And CCPA.

Organizations usually feel that ensuring your site and data are protected from hackers is all you need to do regarding data security. That's not the case at all. You need to make sure your company or organization complies with data privacy regulations set by concerning governing bodies. Now that we've seen a common mistake that people make and use data privacy and security interchangeably.

However, these terms have distinct differences between them. While data security means protecting all the data from external attackers and malicious insiders, data privacy governs how the data is collected, shared, and used. And this distinction is what sparked the privacy war between Apple and Facebook. So now that you know what online data privacy and security are let's talk about the steps the two big tech giants have taken.

Apple & It's New Transparency Requirement

Apple recently revealed its step towards protecting user data by putting in a new transparency requirement. It will force app developers to explicitly ask for the user's permission to track and share information for cross-platform ad targeting. The new requirement will make sure every IOS app asks you upfront on whether or not it can share your information with data brokers and other networks so that they can serve mobile ads to you and measure your response to those ads.

When the change is implemented, you will see a notification the first time you launch a new app showcasing the proposed third-party tracker is used and whether or not you would want to allow it to collect and share your data. According to Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg, the changes Apple brought are directly there to put Facebook at a disadvantage, and he was highly critical of Apple's decision. Even citing that Apple is Facebook's biggest competitor. The response goes perfectly with the direction Facebook Inc. is taking in regards to data. So let's check out what Facebook is doing!

WhatsApp & Facebook: The Same Privacy Policy?

If you've been on Twitter recently, then you know that there was a big "Brouhaha" about the recent privacy policy update by WhatsApp. While Facebook Inc has tried to explain and clear away the confusion and outrage, one thing has become clear, and that Facebook's stance on online data privacy is vastly different from Apple's. WhatsApp right now has a few various features that people use to communicate with businesses. Some of those businesses are hosted by Facebook.

The recent policy change suggests that the data from the customer and company's messages can be collected and shared with the larger Facebook ecosystem. What this means is that Facebook and other advertisers can use customer service chats or transaction receipts for advertising and other marketing purposes. Now, the content and individual chats will continue to be encrypted, and the company will still be unable to read or assess that data. Meaning the data within those chats won't be harvested or shared with third parties.

Even with those requirements set, Facebook faced massive backlash from the community, and it was forced to create a Policy FAQ page to quell the anger and distrust of its users. The community's pushback was so big that Facebook delayed the rollout of the new rules to 15th May 2021 from February 2021. When the new policy is set, you as a user will need to accept the new terms and conditions to access your accounts. This recent policy change is a staunch reminder to WhatsApp users that they are Facebook customers now. Facebook is moving towards free sharing of information between the two platforms in the name of "interoperability.".

What Can You Do To Protect Your Privacy Online?

As you can see, the two tech giants have two vastly different approaches to data privacy. While Apple is moving towards a more transparent process as its transparent requirements protect user data and have started even to regulate app developers in their ecosystem. So it's gaining the trust of the users and the community. However, as you can see, Facebook is having trouble gaining the trust highlighted more by the recent WhatsApp policy change outburst. It is viewed as a company that prioritizes its advertisers' needs over the privacy of its users.

As it stands now, the community consensus is that a more transparent approach like Apple's is the best option, and so far, Apple is winning the popular vote in the ongoing privacy war. While all that is good and true, you, yourself, need to take care of things from your end as well. You need to take steps to ensure your online privacy is protected. So we here at Dropship US have a list of online privacy tips you can follow:

Limit the amount of personal information you share on social media. Meaning you need to put less identifying information on major social platforms.

Always try to browse in incognito or private mode. This is especially true if you don't want your computer to save browsing history, temporary internet files, or cookies.

Try using a different search engine other than Google. There are plenty of anonymous search engines like DuckDuckGo that don't collect or share your search history or clicks, and it even stops specific ad trackers on the websites you visit.

Try using a VPN when browsing online. VPN's ensure online privacy and anonymity by creating a private network from a public internet connection. It masks your original IP address making your online actions virtually untraceable.

Check before you click. One of the significant invaders of your online privacy and security is Phishing scams. These are scams where you click on a compromised link or download a malware-infested file. It can result in you losing valuable financial and personal information. So make sure you only click on verified links and download things from trusted websites.

You need mobile device security as well. Whether you are running a dropshipping business or using the internet for personal entertainment, you will use your smartphone, and it might even be more than your computer. We usually check on our phones for many things like instant researching, social media, emails, and other functions. So make sure people don't have easy access to your phone's information.

Try using quality antivirus software. This will help you fight off scammers effectively. The right antivirus software will be able to stop hackers from remotely taking over your computer, accessing your personal and financial information, and tracking your location. However, you have to make sure you always have the updated version of the software.

These online privacy tips will help you whether you are a business looking to ensure your and your customer's information are safer or if you are an individual looking to ensure your online privacy isn't compromised. So make sure you follow them correctly!

Protecting Online Privacy Matters

So there you go, that's all you need to know about the ongoing privacy war and what it means for your online privacy. We here at Dropship US understand and value a person's right to privacy. Our team takes online privacy seriously, and this is why we dedicate our time to building the most secure dropshipping websites on the market that protects your information along with your customer's.

So if you need a secure dropshipping website, then feel free to contact our developers, and we will be more than happy to help you build an ethically perfect platform. And with that being said, we arrive at the end of our discussion for today. Let us know in the comments below which company is right in its approach, Apple or Facebook? Also, hit us up on our socials with ideas and topics you want us to cover next. Until next time, see ya!

Originally posted in: https://dropshipusa.io/blogs/news/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-ongoing-privacy-war