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In our increasingly connected digital world, artificial intelligence (AI) has permeated our everyday lives, finding a place in devices from our voice-activated speakers to our innovative laundry machines.
Amidst these technological strides, Apple’s recent introduction of new AI functionalities in its smartphones was critiqued by Elon Musk for potentially being a significant privacy risk.
Security questions were similarly ignited last month after Microsoft unveiled a periodic screenshot-taking feature for user laptops.
With these devices embedded in our homes and carried in our pockets, the question arises of how our privacy and personal data are being managed.
“We need to have faith in technology, isn’t it?” posits Vonny Gamot, head of EMEA at the cybersecurity firm McAfee.
“Without this trust, we’d still be commuting on foot rather than driving cars or flying to the moon, not to mention giving up on the use of computers,” she adds.
But the issue that concerns her is the potential misuse of the technology.
“AI, in itself, is merely a tool susceptible to manipulation by malicious actors aiming to devise scams or surreptitiously gather data you never intended to share,” she articulates.
Advertisers’ interest in our personal details is not a novel phenomenon, but our contributions are now also aiding in training AI systems.
To those concerned about their data privacy, here are a few straightforward steps recommended by AI professionals to enhance your security:
Examine the settings on your smartphone
Ms. Gamot advises starting with a simple action: “Dig into where you’re sharing your data.”
Focusing on your phone, she suggests, “Navigate to your settings and assess which applications access your microphone. Assess if those permissions are necessary, for instance, does your mapping app really need microphone access? Likely not.”
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Scrutinize which apps have been granted permission to utilize your phone’s camera, microphone, stored files, and location services, ensuring you’re comfortable with the data you’re confining.
Unknowingly allowing apps to access your microphone is a particular concern for Ms. Gamot.
“A mere three seconds of audio can be sufficient for a nefarious individual to replicate your voice,” she warns.
Thoroughly peruse terms and conditions
Understanding the terms of service you agree to on the web is crucial.
“A typical phenomenon is the appearance of cookie consent prompts,” points out Conor McCaffrey of Securiti Sciences Limited, a firm specializing in AI data protection.
“I consciously take time to read these consent forms to fully grasp the nature of the entity, the kind of data they’re collecting from me, and their intended purposes for it.”
You don’t have to automatically hit ‘accept’ – you have the option to selectively grant permissions or deny them outright.
