According to Amnesty International’s Technology and Human Rights Team, people are in for a big surprise if they think that instant messaging services are private.
The reality is that people’s communication is under constant threat from cybercriminals and unexpected threats.
Young people who are so keen to share personal details and photos over numerous applications are especially at risk.
Amnesty shared it around 8 years back, but, unfortunately, the concept still applies; in fact, it has become more important these days when cybercrimes have significantly increased.
On this Safer Internet Day, we aim to emphasize why it is essential for people to choose a platform with robust privacy features and how these aspects will protect them from perpetrators.
Nowadays, people are often sharing personal data through social media platforms and instant messaging applications. Without adequate privacy features, unauthorized people can access sensitive data and cause numerous harms like identity theft, disinformation, phishing, cyberbullying, and financial fraud.
Hence, it’s important for platforms to have end-to-end encryption (E2EE), 2-factor authentication, and disappearing messages.
E2EE is a security system that ensures that the content of the message can only be viewed by the sender and the intended receiver. The 2-factor authentication is a process that adds an extra layer of protection to the user’s account security. The disappearing messages come with a timer the sender decides; once the timer runs out, the message will automatically disappear.
Thankfully, these privacy features are adopted by almost all instant messaging applications. However, a few additional but critical ones enhance the level of privacy and provide users with ultimate security.
To name a few, such features are blocking screenshots for calls and chats, block screen recording, time machine, and privacy mode.
So far, among messaging apps, only imo offers this level of robust privacy protection. Both features of blocking screenshots for calls and screen recording prevent people from taking any screenshots and screen recording of video or audio calls.
This app has a separate privacy mode, when users turn it on, it adds extra layers of protection to the account by enabling special security features, such as random people won’t be able to add you, capture screenshots, and record your profile and calls.
Time Machine, is another very unique and efficient protection feature, which allows users to delete any chat messages on demand at any time, not only their own messages but also those of their contacts.
A few applications globally come with part of these extra layers of protection; for example, Snapchat will inform you when someone captures a screenshot, whereas the imo application directly blocks screenshots on calls and informs the user immediately.
Such a unique and extra layer of protection ensures safety and security for people in cyberspace.
Internet, the double-edged sword, can both be the enabler and disruptor of people’s lives.
To build a safe, inclusive, and empowering online world, tech companies must adopt a high level of privacy features so that the digital space can become a positive environment where people, especially the younger generation, can thrive.
Additionally, people need to be more aware of the risks that the internet poses and make informed decisions about choosing the ideal messaging platforms with extra layers of privacy features.
Collectively, it’s possible to create a better world.
Navid Anjum is a communications professional & social worker
