Is Someone Watching Me? A Detailed Report on Taxonomy of Digital Spying

Find out if someone is watching you using the digital space. Get familiar with the taxonomy of digital spying and keep your family safe from data breach and security threats.

Are you aware that online media records every footprint of our digital activities?

Well, you must have noticed that whenever you say something while holding your cell phone, the social media or other online platforms start showing you the results similar to your interests. Everything is automated, and so is marketing.

It would be correct to say that we are living in a world where there is no privacy. AI has made mass surveillance much easier. According to the report of Freedom on the Net, 9 in every 10 people are getting spied online.

In the past years, the authority of spying was only confined to army and intelligence agencies. But, now, with an increase in the usage of digital devices, there are a number of people keeping eyes on us.

Why would someone spy on us?

Well, there are a lot of reasons, but first, let’s reveal who is monitoring us and how is this possible.

Is Someone Monitoring You?

Have you ever noticed how hackers can get complete personal details of the victim?

How law enforcement agencies get tips on potential crimes?

You must have heard about the terms kid’s monitoring and employee surveillance.

The reason behind such surveillance is an increased rate of cyber threats dangers online world. Today, it is much easier to breach the security of someone because we post and store our personal details on digital media.

But, the story of online risks doesn’t end on cyber threats. Many eyes are looking at our routine activities.

No one is alone with their mobile devices.

Because, Google, social media, mobile agencies, etc. are monitoring us 24/7.

Let’s discuss is it true that we are never alone online?

Who Is Monitoring Us All the Time?

Spying on someone, electronically, is the easiest way to keep track of people. Mobile tracking apps help us to know what people are doing, without asking them.

But, as Artificial Intelligence is booming today, it has made online platforms to spy on us so that Google and other media channels can get better insights on the audience’s choice.

Let’s pick up the threads and see how we are getting monitored every day.

RELATED: No More Spying Attacks – Google and Samsung Fixed the Android Vulnerability to Spying Threats

Google Tracking:

We all use Google to make search queries.

Well, most of us know that our queries made on Google get tracked and processed to improve the search experience. Google can track your location, Drive, and other things related to your Google account. So, everything you do use your Google account gets tracked, and most of us are somehow aware of such web and app activity monitoring.

Though it is a weather update, map location, or browser activity, Google has eyes on you.

Social Media Spying:

Social media channels such as; Facebook, Instagram, etc. monitor every single move you do online.

Yes, not only location, these apps spy on your searches, messages, interests, photos, posts, and much more. Though such apps promise to provide encrypted services, who knows where our data is getting used?

Have you heard about the conspiracy theory that Facebook and Instagram are using your microphones?

If you haven’t, then this is going to amaze you.

People argued that these apps spy on the microphone and listen to the conversation of every single person using the app.

Creepy, isn’t it?

Social media apps are playing the marketing game by recording the interests of the audience and using such data to help companies post sponsored ads.

If we talk about the legality of such an activity, Facebook and Instagram deny that they sell the user information to companies for paid advertisements. The social media apps claim to track your location, search history, interests, and other online records to provide the businesses with factual insights.

Automated Bots Tracking:

As mentioned earlier, AI is running the new world. Automated bots are everywhere online. Such bots interact with the computer system online and gather information. And when they find something useful, these creepers report back the recorded data to the controlling system.

Automated bots function on a simple procedure, replication. Such crawlers replicate with your system and extract all the useful information that can be used in the future.

Mobile Operators Spying:

We exchange data with cell phone providers. Users have no idea that such shared details are stored and sold for many purposes. The information that your cell phone provider can leak includes; GPS location, name, work and home address, etc.

ISP Tracking:

Internet service provider, how can we live without it?

When it comes to monitoring, ISP tracks your web search habits. Undoubtedly, all the collected information is sold in the ad ecosystem. ISPs also gather your online activity details to improve their services.

Monitoring by Different Companies:

The advertisement ecosystem is immense. The game of sponsored ads is getting stronger with the selling of user information. Companies target potential customers via paid advertisements by getting user details from search engines or other sources.

Users are unaware of the fact that their personal information is sold by credit card companies, media networks, airlines, reporting agencies, etc. Such detailed information creates the infrastructure of ad campaigns in the digital world.

Spying by Journalists:

It is the job of journalists to find the truth about someone or something. While we are busy in our lives, journalists are actively spying on someone to get details on a suspected matter. As long as you are not involved in any suspicious activity, you are safe from the monitoring activity of journalists.

Intelligence and Government:

Well, if we talk about getting spied by the intelligence agencies, then we all are targets. No state can compromise the security of their land. In general, our telephonic and text conversation are getting taped by intelligence agencies. Not everything, but if we mention suspicious or shady words that might harm the state, then the systems of intelligence agencies get activated and record everything to ensure the safety of the nation.

Likewise, the Government of a nation can interfere or spy on someone’s android phone to protect the country. Also, Government parties tend to monitor the activities of their rivals to make sure nobody is harming the country.

Businesses and Employers:

Monitoring employees is significant for businesses. Due to an increased rate of cyber threats and online scams, employers have started taking smart precautions to save the confidential details of businesses. Employee monitoring helps business management to ensure that their staff is loyal to the company, and nobody is doing fraud. By tracking the crew, employers get a detailed report on the online activities of their employees. In general, employee monitoring assists businesses to find out if their workers are performing their duties well or wasting time on other leisure activities.

Cyber Criminals:

Living in the cyberworld, no one can deny the threats of the online space. Cyberbullies, molesters, stalkers, and hackers are all over the internet. Cybercriminals steal the personal, as well as corporate information through spying on their target. And either sell or misuse such delicate details of the user. Unfortunately, we all are at the risk to encounter online threats.

Snooping by Someone You Know:

Parents snoop on their kid’s online space to make sure they use cyberspace safely. Another reason for child monitoring is to make sure that kids are secure in the outside world having a good friend circle.

On the other hand, breaching someone’s privacy is becoming a common activity. People stalk each other via social media. People have developed the habit of putting their nose in every personal matter of others. Getting stalked is much worse than anything. We can say that it is an open threat to someone’s wellbeing, as stalkers can potentially harm their target when contacted physically.

What to Do?

The demand for spying on someone is getting higher due to potential physical cyber dangers. For people like us, it is crucial to learn about the online space we use daily. Similarly, the more we educate ourselves about cybersecurity, the more we make our digital space safe from the possible online dangers.