Are We Defenseless In The World Of Technology And Cybercrime?
KEY POINTS
People are so addicted to social media platforms that the first thing someone does, even before confirming whether their legs can move is to log into a social media platform to confirm their status on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
We are living in a world that will never be the same. What was yesterday is not the same today. We are living in what experts are calling “the greatest 4th revolution” ruled and dominated by technology. Technology is no longer a passing cloud.
In the current world, when we talk about technology, the conversation is often tailored towards the internet and we can never talk about the internet without talking about social media. Social media platforms are literally controlling our lives.
Social media is what is running the world. Governments around the world are more scared of social media than anything else. It is all about the power of the information and how fast it spreads. They know that social media is more powerful than weapons.
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Nigeria has banned the use of Twitter. This was after Twitter deleted a tweet sent out by President Buhari, and one that was reported and found to be inappropriate. As things stand, it is a crime to use Twitter in Nigeria. The government is considering making it law.
The people of Burkina Faso have been operating without the internet for months. The same applies to Ethiopia and Sudan. In Tanzania, there was a total internet shutdown during the Presidential elections. This shows how powerful and scary the social media world is.
But social media is not as scary as cybercrime. Every time the subject of cybercrime and cybersecurity is discussed, people tend to shift their focus from their daily lives and start thinking of international criminals who hack banks and other corporates for money and data, or for ransom.
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The truth is cybercrime is all around us. Any electronic that you have exposes you to cybercrime; be it a TV or a mobile phone. The subject of cybercrime and cybersecurity, therefore, is not about big multinationals but about us, Kenyans, and Africans.
The questions you should ask yourself every time you lock into an online platform is:
Why are you on social media?
How much information are you sharing on social media?
How can you protect yourself while online?
How can you protect your accounts while online?
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Why are you on social media?
People are on social media for various reasons. Some for business, some to socialize, while some just want to be seen. There are those on social media for education. In Kenya, there are those who are on social media to bully others and others to hunt for personal information.
How much information do you share on social media?
How much information are you sharing on social media? That is the question. The truth is that people have put so much trust in social media platforms that they are sharing more than what should be shared about their lives and that of family.
People are so addicted to social media platforms that the first thing someone does, even before confirming whether their legs can move is to log into a social media platform to confirm their status on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
Cases of children being kidnapped, people being carjacked are on the increase in Nairobi. Investigations often end up to that Facebook or Instagram post that one made about their kid, with a pinned a location and how wealthy they are.