Your online information is getting supercharged with the rise of AI. Shibani shares 3 ways to protect yourself, including a new, free feature from Google – a data removal tool.
As the use of AI rises, so does the risk and complexity of cyber crimes. As we learn to use ChatGPT and other tools to enhance our work and personal lives, criminals are using it for gain, too. This means upping our vigilance, particularly around our online information. Google has a new service that allows you to find and remove personal data in Google search results about you. I also share a few other ways to protect personal data.
AI supercharges cyber criminals
Your name, address, birthday and even your browsing history is out there, being scraped off the web and sold to a network of data brokers and unsavory characters. This is the data used for identity theft, phishing scams and other online mayhem.
“AI “supercharges” the capabilities of existing criminals, making cybercrime more accessible and attractive due to its relatively lower risk and cost compared to traditional street-level offenses,” according to UC Berkeley experts
Thanks to AI, once your data is retrieved, executing cybercrimes is even easier. That’s because AI is helping to aid cybercriminals in:
- Password cracking – Home Security Heroes found that 51% of passwords were cracked in less than a minute, 65% in less than an hour, 71% within a day, and 81% within a month
- Tailored phishing emails – AI enables the creation of personalized phishing emails with perfect grammar and tailored messaging, making them much harder to detect
- Voice cloning and vishing – AI can clone voices, including local accents, to deceive individuals into revealing sensitive information, a tactic known as vishing
- AI-powered chatbots – Attackers are using AI-powered chatbots to simulate customer support or service agents, gathering credentials or prompting users to install malicious files
Because of this, taking regular and proactive steps to cyber protect ourselves becomes crucial because we cannot leave it to Google to protect our data. A good place to start is in our better guarding of personal data as a first layer of defense. If our personal data (birthdate, social security number, phone number, etc.) are on the web, it’s easier to be misused. In cleaning up your Google search results, you protect yourself.
Cleaning up your search results
Google tools
Google protects data and removes sensitive information in 2 main ways. If you’re looking to remove your data from other search engines, like Safari, you will have to take additional steps.
Google’s search monitoring
Google released a new feature that allows you to find and remove personal contact information about yourself in Google search results. Enter in keywords you want Google to scrape the web for, things like your personal email or home address, and you get a notification of discovery along with removal options (see above what that looks like). So far, this has given me only one returned result. In general, I am apprehensive about directly sharing my private information with Google. So, I had it search for just a few items. Proceed as you feel comfortable, as well, but know the results removal will be limited.
Google’s find and request removal
In this method, simply Google yourself to discover the websites that have your private information. Then, fill out a form to request removal. Remember that Google will not remove non-private information. It won’t remove an article written about you, for example. Its removal tools are for sensitive, private information.
To use this method:
Open up your browser and search for yourself. Use your full name, nicknames, and any usernames you’ve used online. Pro-Tip: Use incognito mode to prevent Google from tailoring the results. Put quotation marks around your name (“your name”) for precise matches.
Enter in the data you want removed using this form.
Google alerts are just one step in an overall approach to managing your data. If the information is also indexed by other search engines, you may need to repeat the process with those engines.
For added protection, consider these steps, too:
Options for advanced protection
Reaching out directly to data brokers
This is where the real work begins. Data brokers are companies that thrive and survive on collecting our private information. They turn around and sell it or post it online, for a fee. Removing our information from their databases goes straight to the source, but is time consuming. Here’s how to do it in two steps:
Search “data brokers” + your location to generate a list of brokers in your state. The state of California , for example, has a comprehensive list of dozens of brokers. On the broker’s website (usually in very small print) will be the option to opt-out. Go one by one and do so (this will take forever and your data could reappear on the site).
If you see your info on a specific website, reach out to them. They’ll likely have a contact form.
Data removal services and other protection steps
A more time-effective approach is to pay for a service that does this outreach to data brokers for you. Consider a data removal Service like DeleteMe, Optery, and Mozilla Monitor which all monitor and remove your information. All are subscription based because of how easily data brokers can recollect your information even after removal.
In addition to the downside of cost, these services may not be comprehensive in removing data from all brokers. No service is 100% effective.
These are just a few steps to keep you safer in the new Wild West of AI. Being mindful about what you post online, maintaining privacy settings and staying active and engaged in monitoring your data will keep your information from going the way of bitcoin.