People May Not Be Utilizing All Available Privacy Settings: What to Know
A couple of decades ago, we did not have to worry about our personal information being sent out for countless companies to see, but our level of privacy has changed dramatically. Now, everything from our birth date to our search history can be used by companies, strangers, or even governments if we are not careful. This invasion of privacy leads to our data being used to sell us things, influence our relationships, and influence our political systems. Even if people do exercise caution with handing out their info, it sometimes still falls into the wrong hands.
It can be confusing to fully utilize privacy settings when it feels like these entities access our information regardless of what we do. It might be tempting for some to give up if it seems pointless, but we mustn't lose control and let companies prevail. Everyone should be aware of all the privacy tools at their disposal; with a little guidance, people can sort through the breadth of options. It is likely easier than one may think.
The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018
This bill's intention is to make it much more straightforward for consumers to opt out of sharing or selling their personal information. It would require internet browsers to provide an opt-out preference to command all businesses they interact with online from sharing their data. Individuals would be simply exercising their rights under the CCPA. Implementing this feature in the browser would simplify the process of protecting our privacy. If a user isn't tech-savvy enough to use it, they may lose control over their privacy. The CCPA’s objective is to serve as an absolute right to privacy, not a conditional one.
A Simple Way to Regain Control Over Your Privacy
A proposed law in California aims to create a dedicated program to block entities that are persistently trying to access our personal data. Once the box is checked, no companies will use or receive the user’s information. This option can be seen in any web browser or in everyone’s phone settings, so it is very simple to find. Since Apple and Google control the most popular internet browsers and mobile operating systems, they hold significant power. This law would impose legal requirements on them to address privacy concerns. he law just needs to be signed by Governor Gavin Newsom by September 30 for the feature to come to fruition.
Where to Find This Feature
The option to enable this privacy setting will be available on nearly every browser and phone. If you’re using Firefox, you can access this setting by going to your browser settings, selecting “Privacy & Security,” and then checking the box labeled “Tell websites not to sell or share my data.”
There is a very similar process for those using Google Chrome. There are even browsers that will automatically set this level of privacy for the user. The Brave Browser will tell websites not to sell or share data without needing to mess with the settings. What’s more, Privacy Badger can be downloaded from the Electronic Frontier Foundation to do the same. This will work with Firefox, Google Chrome, and the Microsoft Edge browser.
Companies will always try to use our data and there will always be someone out there that wants to do the same, so privacy protection is an absolute necessity nowadays. Thankfully, it is becoming easier to do so and now it will not be hidden behind options that less tech-savvy people cannot take advantage of.
