How to stay safe and private

Less than two decades ago, we started living with smartphones and other electronic devices that need the internet. I have never been an early adopter, buying the newest smartphone or high-tech devices when it releases.

Without knowing well, I have used and gotten paranoid several times. I have spent some money on antivirus, anti-spy apps, etc. I had some conspiracy theories about smartphones and social media apps about 10 years ago. After the COVID 19, I felt something, maybe my thought was on the right direction. Before the pandemic, before the launch of AI generative tools like ChatGPT, smartphones and smartdevices were listening to people and collecting information through the devices.

Even if I never used voice recognition or other similar functions, the devices were collecting data. Basically, it helped to build AI generative tools, or it helped to link information and knowledge so that AI can be smarter. While people were joking about it, something like saying out loud right in front of your mobile what you want to buy or what you want to get for your birthday, then you will get an ad about what you said in a few minutes, it became something bigger than that.

I believe each country could have an authority like ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). But what I felt in South Korea when I was visiting or staying for several months, it was clearly not about being an immigrant. It was even worse. It was something like control freaks met AI.

Being transparent is one thing; having privacy is another thing. Everyone is using smart devices and AI generative tools nowadays. So what people are saying is that instead of getting irritated or getting paranoid, just be calm and try to follow the standard lifestyle. As if it is normal that AI or smart devices can be our surveillance system. If I start using a 2G mobile, instantly I will be on the list of suspects, as if I am smuggling drugs or something.

No one gives you a smartphone or smart devices for free. I purchased it. So I should be the admin to have control of what can be shared and what not. 

Since I am using an antivirus, I got an email with some useful information that I want to share.

• Make it a habit to restart your device on a regular basis. The NSA recommends doing this weekly.

• Do not open unsolicited links and attachments without verifying with the trusted sender.

• Remember, Apple threat notifications will never ask users to click links, open files, install apps, or ask for account passwords or verification codes.

• For Apple Mail users specifically, these vulnerabilities create risk when viewing HTML-formatted emails containing malicious web content.

• Malwarebytes for iOS can help keep your device secure, with Trusted Advisor alerting you when important updates are available.

• If you are a high-value target or you want the extra level of security, consider using Apple’s Lockdown Mode.

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Before subscribing to an antivirus app, I was watching videos on Instagram and YouTube about cybersecurity without any fees. https://www.cybersecuritygirl.com/

So I understood that if I am interested in protecting my privacy, I could get information for free. Something about app permissions, settings in social media, etc.

Still, I am kind of sceptical. I know that turning off app permissions will not give me 100% privacy. Especially, after watching the TV series "Pluribus", I feel like a stupid old school who wants to escape the modern world and live in a cave.

In reality, what human beings are doing is reviewing and correcting the results from AI generative tools. Filtering what hallucination is, what is morally incorrect, what can be improved, what is the better answer, what is touching gender issues, etc. It is like teaching Frankenstein, who can write, translate, summarize, and find the information, create images, organize texts better and faster than us but teaching to be more like a human being.

So, the question is what will gonna happen if I turn on all the app permissions, start using voice recognition, Siri, Alexa, having my laptop camera on 24/7?