Whatever happened to protecting ourselves online?
Recently, several major social media platforms have implemented identity verification measures. Meta Platforms, YouTube, and X now require users to upload government IDs or complete facial verification scans to access certain features or recover accounts. And it got me thinking: didn’t we used to be paranoid about the kind of digital information leakage that seems commonplace today?
One moment, your parents are warning you not to use your real name online. Don’t share your school. Don’t post your birthday. The next, Facebook wants a video selfie just to log in. The era of digital privacy might as well be dead.
I tested something on a friend; I opened a fresh browser, typed in their full name, and let the search engine do its work. Within ten minutes, I had found their home address, place of employment, school, close friends, and a concerning number of baby photos. None of it required hacking. None of it was hidden. It was simply… there.
Now, some argue that identity verification increases safety and reduces bots, harassment, and misinformation. And maybe it does. But it also normalizes surrendering deeply personal data just to engage with the rest of the world.
Digital literacy and privacy today is so much more complicated than it was ten years ago. If you’re struggling with privacy and confused about what freedoms are worth holding onto, you’re in the same boat as the rest of us. My only advice is to keep yourself updated on what information your social media sites are requesting of you. Read the terms and conditions. And in the end, make your own judgment: weigh what matters to you against what would be merely convenient.
Once information is out on the internet, it’s going to stay there. So stay careful.
