LITTLE ROCK, AR – What would you think if someone’s reading your text messages, and it’s not the person you sent it to?
Laura Fisher says, “I’d feel pretty uncomfortable.”
“That’s personal,” says Bobby Harris. “That’s my personal business. That’s not their business.”
“You can put more doors in, lock them and there’s still, you know, gonna be someone finding a way of getting around that,” Carter Freeman says.
Imagine some cars stopped at this red light are your data, safe and secure. Once you give the green light for your data to move, like sending a text or downloading an app, you could be letting anyone copy your information from your lane and mirror it in another so anyone can access it.
Dr. Remzi Seker researches network security at UALR and knows for a fact many young adults are clueless when it comes to downloading dangerous apps.
“People are so excited about the applications and what they can do for them, for convenience, they are basically sacrificing their privacy,” he says. “A lot of them do not even realize, nor do they know the extent of data that is being collected off them.”
The data being collected can be information like your name, phone number, location, personal pictures, texts, e-mails and bank account numbers.
Facebook admits asking for permission to gather texts from smartphone users of its app to test future features.
Dr. Seker says, “There were similar allegations for YouTube that is actually could remotely activate the cameras on the cell phone, on the smart phone and take pictures.”
Google, which owns YouTube, has not commented.
Dr. Seker warns any time you download an app you put yourself at risk because security technology for phones hasn’t caught up.
“Imagine that whatever you’re saying could potentially be public sooner or later, or the simplest solution could be not to use those apps.”
In other words — be smart when using your smart phone.
Laura Fisher says, “I’d feel pretty uncomfortable.”
“That’s personal,” says Bobby Harris. “That’s my personal business. That’s not their business.”
“You can put more doors in, lock them and there’s still, you know, gonna be someone finding a way of getting around that,” Carter Freeman says.
Imagine some cars stopped at this red light are your data, safe and secure. Once you give the green light for your data to move, like sending a text or downloading an app, you could be letting anyone copy your information from your lane and mirror it in another so anyone can access it.
Dr. Remzi Seker researches network security at UALR and knows for a fact many young adults are clueless when it comes to downloading dangerous apps.
“People are so excited about the applications and what they can do for them, for convenience, they are basically sacrificing their privacy,” he says. “A lot of them do not even realize, nor do they know the extent of data that is being collected off them.”
The data being collected can be information like your name, phone number, location, personal pictures, texts, e-mails and bank account numbers.
Facebook admits asking for permission to gather texts from smartphone users of its app to test future features.
Dr. Seker says, “There were similar allegations for YouTube that is actually could remotely activate the cameras on the cell phone, on the smart phone and take pictures.”
Google, which owns YouTube, has not commented.
Dr. Seker warns any time you download an app you put yourself at risk because security technology for phones hasn’t caught up.
“Imagine that whatever you’re saying could potentially be public sooner or later, or the simplest solution could be not to use those apps.”
In other words — be smart when using your smart phone.
