Two Things You Must Know About Your Private Information Online

Your personal data is valuable, to companies and to criminals. Here are two essential truths about online privacy, and how to protect yourself.

1. More of your data is collected than you think

Apps, websites, loyalty programmes and devices collect your location, browsing habits, contacts and purchase history. Much of it is used for advertising; some of it is shared with partners you've never heard of.

What you can do: review app permissions, limit location access, read privacy settings on social media and use browsers with tracking protection.

2. Once it leaks, you can't take it back

Data breaches happen even at large companies. Once your phone number, email or ID details are exposed, they can be used for scams and fraud for years.

What you can do: use unique passwords, enable two-factor authentication, be cautious about sharing ID documents and watch for suspicious messages that reference your personal details.

Your rights in India

India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 gives individuals rights over their personal data, including knowing how it's used and asking for corrections or deletion.

For businesses

If you collect customer data, protect it carefully, collect only what you need and be transparent. Trust is hard to rebuild once lost.

Key takeaways

This guide on private information online covered:

• 1. More of your data is collected than you think
• 2. Once it leaks, you can't take it back
• Your rights in India
• For businesses

Private information online checklist

Use this checklist to put the ideas above into practice:

• SSL is installed and renews automatically
• Admin accounts use strong passwords and two-factor login
• Uptime is monitored with alerts
• Daily backups are stored off the server and tested
• A firewall and malware scanning are active
• Email uses SPF, DKIM and DMARC to avoid the spam folder
• Hosting resources match your traffic
• Software, plugins and the server are updated regularly

Key terms explained

VPS

A virtual private server with dedicated resources, suited to busier sites, online stores and web apps.

Malware

Harmful code that attackers inject into websites to steal data, show spam or redirect visitors.

Uptime

The share of time your website is online; good hosts aim for 99.9% or better.

Shared hosting

Hosting where many websites share one server; affordable and fine for small, low-traffic sites.

CDN

A content delivery network that serves your files from locations near each visitor, making pages load faster.

SPF, DKIM and DMARC

Email authentication records that prove messages really come from your domain and keep them out of spam.

Backup retention

How many past backups are kept and for how long, so you can restore from before a problem started.

Private information online FAQ

How do I know if my website has been hacked?

Warning signs include strange redirects, unknown admin users, spam pages in Google results, browser warnings or a sudden slowdown. Regular scanning catches problems early.

How often should a website be backed up?

At least daily for active sites, with copies stored somewhere other than the server. Backups only count if you have tested restoring them.

Why do my website emails go to spam?

Usually because the domain is missing SPF, DKIM or DMARC records, or the server has a poor sending reputation. Fixing these records makes a big difference.

What type of hosting does my website need?

Small business sites run well on good shared or managed hosting; busy online stores and web apps usually need a VPS or cloud server with more resources.

Why is SSL important?

SSL encrypts data between visitors and your site, shows the padlock in browsers and is a small ranking signal. Browsers warn visitors about sites without it.

What is website uptime monitoring?

A service that checks your site every few minutes and alerts you if it goes down, so problems are fixed before customers notice.

How DigiGlobal can help

DigiGlobal provides fast, secure hosting with SSL, daily backups, updates and monitoring, and can move your existing website with no downtime. If you have questions about private information online for your own business, our team is happy to help.

• Web Hosting & Domains: Fast, secure hosting with real humans to help when something goes wrong.
• Web Development: Websites and web apps that are quick, secure and built to grow with your business.
• Website Design: Good design isn't decoration. It's the reason a visitor stays, trusts you and picks up the phone.