Half of Americans feel their personal data is less secure than it was five years ago, yet many of us are willingly sharing more information about ourselves than ever. Between oversharing habits, social media usage, and countless accounts holding our sensitive data, it’s easy to lose track of our personal information online – and cybercriminals are always lurking to take advantage. So when was the last time you Googled yourself?
For most Americans, Facebook is their go-to social media platform – as the perfect place to hear news, share photos, and chat with family and friends any time of the day, our data can quickly accumulate. Almost 70% of people have an active Facebook account and two in three people use at least one other online account for storing private data like financial or medical information. With little bits of both our identity and personality sprinkled around the internet behind different accounts, you’d be surprised at how much of your information may actually be out there. Even just one Google search reveal a treasure trove of information, visible to everyone from your boss to criminals.
Our searchable information, even as basic as our first and last name, is perhaps more identifiable than we may realize. Among adults online, 35% have had their sensitive information compromised, 29% have had someone hack into their email or social media account, and 15% have even had their identity used to open fraudulent loans or credit cards. Other common internet scams also become possible once criminals rustle up enough personal information, likely taking the form of email phishing or targeted catfishing attempts.
How secure are your online accounts? It may be more vulnerable than you think. From Google search results to our Facebook “About me” section, our own information can be a lot to handle – take a look at this infographic for more on how to keep your personal information out of the wrong hands. And ask the question. When was the last time you Googled yourself?
What do you think of this infographic? When was the last time you Googled yourself? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
Last Updated on February 3, 2021.
