1,025 — Maintaining Internet Privacy

Do you think the personal information you put on the Internet can be kept private? Think again! Listen to this episode to find out what you should do to protect yourself.
Slow Dialog: 1:40
Explanation: 4:09
Fast Dialog: 17:31
Lorenzo: I wouldn’t post all of those photos on social media sites.
Pamela: Why not? Only my friends and family are going to see them.
Lorenzo: I wouldn’t be so sure. And I wouldn’t post all of that personal data either or divulge personal information. You don’t know who may gain access to your page.
Pamela: There are privacy safeguards on this website. I can block anyone I don’t know from getting access, so no one can see what I post without permission.
Lorenzo: Well, the people who run the website itself have access. They could track what you do and what you post, and extract data from your page to sell to third-party buyers.
Pamela: No, they can’t do that. I’d know if they were doing that.
Lorenzo: How?
Pamela: Well...
Lorenzo: As I said, that’s happening as we speak. And those are the legitimate uses of your information. Hackers can gain access, too, with malicious intent. They can do a lot of damage with the personal data you’ve posted.
Pamela: So, what should I do?
Lorenzo: Take down most of your posts and photos, at least the ones you wouldn’t want everyone to see.
Pamela: But that would mean no one would know anything about me. Worse yet, it would mean having a really boring page.
Lorenzo: It’s either risk being boring or risk an invasion of your privacy.
Pamela: Wow, what a dilemma!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse