According to a report by Digital Center, over 90% of Americans are online, with a more recent Pew Research study putting that number up to 95% among teens. With the amount of time we spend on the internet today, it can be easy to take the tool for granted and forget just how incredible it really is.
The internet facilitates many livelihoods. It helps us stay in touch, informed, and on top of our finances. But with this great power comes great vulnerability. Cybercrime is only getting worse, with hackers, phishers, scammers, and an ever-growing list of malware posing a major risk to individuals and organizations alike.
Maintaining our safety and privacy on the internet has never been more important and leading the battle against cybercrime are the modern technologies that define the future of online safety.
Artificial Intelligence
Whether it’s clicking a malicious link, forgetting to update security software or downloading an app that isn’t what it claims to be, we aren’t always capable of dodging every bullet the internet throws at us, especially with the rate at which new threats proliferate today. Artificial intelligence (AI) might be able to help with that.
One solution that is currently being explored is the use of AI-powered assistants designed to keep us safe as we browse the web. They can intervene at crucial points, not only to stop us from becoming victims of cybercrime but also to help our kids. For instance, an AI assistant could prevent access to certain websites and limit their screen time.
People Search Services
Pulling from a wealth of publicly-available data, people search services make it easy for us to obtain important information about others. Nuwber allows you to enter a name, location, phone number or email before displaying all the available details related to your input. This can prove to be immensely valuable in many situations.
For instance, you can look up an online date and verify their claims about who they are before meeting them. People search services are also useful for finding out who called you from an unknown number. In addition, you can use them to get in touch with old friends and lost relatives, not to mention learning a little more about new neighbors.
Cloud Services
Cloud-based security solutions are a hot topic among tech-savvy internet users and businesses. In addition to cloud storage, security software of the same nature has some major benefits over traditional alternatives, which has made it a powerful force against cybercrime as of late.
Virtual Private Networks
What was once reserved for privacy nuts and those with less than legal intentions is now a must-have tool for staying secure online. Virtual Private Networks or VPNs work by changing your IP address to that of a secure server which is typically located in another country. This effectively masks and encrypts your connection to the internet.
Not only is that useful for maintaining your privacy, but it also has the unintended benefit of allowing users in certain countries to access online content that isn’t available locally. The VPN market is extremely competitive, which has pushed providers to improve the quality of their services far beyond what they were a few years ago.
Only time will tell what the future of online safety holds. For now, we have enough tools in our arsenal to keep ourselves safe and private while we browse the web.
