CC0 Licensed Image Courtesy of Pexels

It's fair to say we are at a very high level of technological innovation today. Smart devices, the web, and even home entertainment are very useful and valuable. Yet technology is misused in a variety of ways. Some of which you might not even be aware of or notice until it is too late. But if you know the common ways this is done, you can begin to take action against some of it.

Social Media Impersonation

There are almost 5 billion social media users in the world right now. And the easy access to platforms like Facebook, alongside very poor security and ID checking, means it is easy for someone to impersonate you or pretend to be someone they are not, known as Catfishing. It's so common in domestic abuse situations that WomenSV and other organizations like it constantly write about the danger and prevalence of this behavior on their blog and other media.

Technology is Misused for Locating People

As a human, you have the right to go where you want, when you want. And you must also respect this as the right of others. Yet because of the controlling nature of some people and the ease by which some tech can be used, there is a common misuse of technology to locate people. For example, an abusive or controlling partner can switch on location services on your phone. However, businesses can also use this data to build profiles for spamming you for sales.

Abusive Emails, Calls, and Texts

We are all so connected these days. And there is no end to the constant barrage of abusive emails, calls, and texts we can receive. And this extends beyond the confines of a relationship. For instance, you can say something that is taken way out of context by a pathetic Twitter army with nothing else going on in their lives, and you will be blasted with DMs. There are documented cases of this becoming so bad that people have taken their own lives in response.

Video Games are Also Involved

For children especially, video games are one of the main ways they can be abused by the misuse of technology. What should be an escape can become a private nightmare online:

• Game grieving can be just as bad as someone stalking you or writing bad messages.

• In-game message services open you up to all kinds of online abuse. 

• Bullies, pedophiles, and scammers are known to use apps like Discord.

• Grooming can slowly take place when playing online video games over time.

• Some game profiles offer more information by default than you might think.

It can be hard to even notice you are a victim of some online abuse. When playing games, don't interact with strangers, turn off personal data, and try not to use third-party contact apps.

Leaking Private Data

As mentioned, video games can offer up more personal data than you realize. Social media is also a known major culprit for this. So always switch off access to your data and images by people you don't know. Skilled scammers can take a lot from an innocent photo. But something more intimate can ruin your life. It isn't unheard of for hackers to leak (or threaten to leak) private photos of people for money. And your personal data can be sold for a pretty penny.

Technology is Misused to Shame People

Shaming people is also one of the major ways in which technology can be used against you. For instance, it isn't uncommon for terrible acts such as "revenge porn" to be done to the ex-partners of immature and emotionally unstable people. Even in schools, there are thousands of cases of shaming against underage girls by schoolboys who tricked them into sharing an intimate image. And then there are sadistic cases like that of the South Korean Nth Room.

Monitoring and Tracking

We are all monitored to some degree. That's just how the modern web system is designed. It's mostly harmless. For example, online trackers collect data for a more personalized shopping experience. But data can be misused as well. For instance, a tracker can go beyond your shopping habits and record when and where you bank, collect password data, and record your personal, intimate habits online, all of which are nobody's business but your own.

Summary

Technology is misused in a number of ways. Some of it can be very damaging to your personal and social life. And you can even have your life's control taken away from you. Some examples include social media catfishing, abuse when playing video games, and being shamed online.