Jaggar DeMarco, a senior majoring in political communication, is a Hatchet columnist.
Imagine your life without the Internet.
Actually don’t do that: It’s way too scary. That’s because like no generation before us, we rely heavily on technology — particularly the Internet and apps we use on our tablets or smartphones.
We can access anything, anytime. Most of us have our email services connected to our smartphones. We upload our entire lives to social media with a few quick taps of our fingers. Apps like Uber and Venmo allow users to quickly use credit cards and banking information to transfer money.
I’ve realized that as college students, this all feels harmless. But it’s time that we exercise more caution when it comes to the information we put out into the world — especially when there are people out there who know how to find it.
Recently, I’ve begun to think how easily all of our personal information can be stolen. Especially scary is a phenomenon called doxing, in which someone posts another person’s personal information — like their phone number or home address — online. That way, others can find them and potentially harm or threaten them.
Though it’s been around for a while, doxing has increased in popularity over the past year or so. While I haven’t personally been affected by this phenomenon, it has made me increasingly more aware of the dangers of the Internet.
Your first thought might be, “That would never happen to me.” But recently, I had an enlightening moment that changed my mind and made me realize that we’re all vulnerable online.
This summer, I began an internship with the federal government. The first meeting I attended was on the massive data breach of the Office of Personnel Management that affected all current and past federal employees of the last three decades — a total of 21.5 million people. This meant that their Social Security numbers and banking information were stolen and probably sold around the black market.
This was definitely a sobering first meeting and not really anything I was expecting. I thought that the federal government could prevent such cyber attacks but instead, those employees are just as vulnerable as everyone else.
Continuing to use the Internet is not only a risk that everyone is going to take, it’s is a risk that everyone has to take in order to function efficiently in society. Most of us probably have a larger presence online now than ever before, allowing others to find photos and contact information through a quick Google search.
There are ways to lessen that risk. Some online resources, like the Crash Override Network, provide useful tips for preventing doxing. And there are ways to practice good smartphone security, too — like turning off GPS tracking, or blocking certain phone numbers.
GW already warns students and faculty of threats to their cybersecurity through Infomail messages. Doxing and other trends in crime that could affect our safety online should be included in these warnings.
Unfortunately, I’m not an expert when it comes to protecting personal information. All I learned in that meeting was to keep a close eye on my bank account and look for unauthorized spending. But if you’re anything like me, you could stand to learn a thing or two about cyber security.
Don’t be afraid to use the Internet to its fullest potential, but just beware that you have to be smart when using it.
