User Profiles

The computer representation of a user

A way to get to know one another

User profiles allow consumers to customise their accounts to portray themselves in a desireable manner.

Explore the article below to learn about data collection through user profiles and what you can do to protect your accounts!

Tell The World About Yourself!

User profiles are collections of settings and information associated with a user, this often contains information that will help identify an individual. Information will include names, ages, pictures, birthdays and any other information a user chooses to disclose.
It is impossible to browse the Internet without creating a user profile for a service. Whether this be to connect with your friends on Instagram, or to purchase a new item! Businesses love data, there's no hiding that, but there are methods users can use to prevent giving away all of their private information.
Social media is notorious for this, as users are expected to provide all of their information to populate a user account. This is portrayed as engaging and for ways to allow users to get to know one another, but there is usually a deeper reason behind this. That being data collection and analytics, these sites will be able to use AI and analytics tools to find out what keeps the user engaged and match them with similar minded individuals. This does indeed help connect more users, but at the cost of user privacy.
Other businesses, such as supermarkets, can also gain a plethora of information from profiles. Large businesses such as Tesco are known for this and have been able to build demographic profiles up on its shoppers. This data will show the business how loyal the consumer is, what they purchase and the amount they spend. As time goes on, the busniess will be able to shift the products that appear on the site when a user logs in, so they are more enticed to buy items they may enjoy. This data is then used to correlate stock in stores, keeping more popular products well stocked.
Clothing providers have also entered the scene, as they can pay attention to the latest trends and payment methods shoppers use. User profiles allow retailers to understand how much customers are willing to spend on clothing and can also use tactics such as offering monthly payments via services such as Klarna. Due to fast fashion being on the rise, businesses can gain analytics such as a customers clothing size, budget and payment information. This can be then used for advertising and targeting purposes, getting them to spend more money elsewhere. Klarna can especially use this to keep users spending money on various sites and using its payment methods to keep users on the service.
In 2018, the Cambridge Analytica scandal revealed global concerns over privacy and profiling algorithms that can be derived from user profiles. This identified personal data belonging to Facebook users was being collected without their consent. This scandal sparked the #DeleteFacebook movement and generated a massive public interest in user data and privacy. Sadly, in 2022, these forces are still at large, with data collection being larger than ever. The best way to protect yourself online is to be wary of the information you release when creating accounts. If the information is optional, chose to withold this, as it will prevent your data from being analysed. If possible, only create accounts for genuine purpouses and use secure email addresses and passwords. Apple offers an email relay, which will generate a new email address for each new service a user signs up to. This protects the users identity online and adds a layer of security. Also, using Sign In with Apple to create new accounts is advised, as the service will only provide the bare minimum of information to the service you wish to use.
Want more information? Follow the steps below to secure your profiles! Scroll down to the services section to read more about the most popular web browsers, test yourself and more!

Update Profile Settings

Regularly check your profile settings, many sites will update their terms and conditions, often making adjustments to certain user profile settings. YD&PM reccomends checking your profile settings every few months to ensure you are happy with the information you are providing.

Sign In With Apple

It has never been easier to protect yourself when creating new accounts. Apple's new sign in method will only reveal your name and create a relay address so your primary address does not need to be provided. This will prevent businesses from harvesting your personal information and keep you safe in case of a cyber attack on their systems.

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