Be careful with your personal data in this rapidly changing AI world! AI apps such as Google’s Gemini (formerly Bard) will continue to pose security risks, so be sure to be cautious when sharing your personal information. This week, Google released a new privacy warning that emphasizes this specifically.
“Please don’t enter confidential information in your conversations or any data you wouldn’t want a reviewer to see or Google to use to improve our products, services, and machine-learning technologies,” Google warns. “Google collects your Gemini Apps conversations, related product usage information, info about your location, and your feedback.”
Gemini AI and Google are warning users about the significant chances that your personal data can be reviewed by humans which puts your information at risk. Google mentions in its new privacy policy that data (via their AI apps) are reviewed manually. So, don’t share phone numbers, email addresses, accounts, and/or login info with AI chatbots! Not a good idea!
The best course of action is to only share confidential information on secure platforms and/or with trusted individuals.
As AI platforms evolve and improve, it’s a good practice to continue the below best practices in keeping your personal data protected and away from those AI chatbots.
#1. Use Secure/Encrypted Channels When Sharing Personal Data: You can use tools like 1Password to share notes or passwords. We also like OneTimeSecret to share those one-time critical pieces of info. A few more tools to use via encrypted communication channels – ProtonMail, Signal, and WhatsApp.
#2. Use Strong Unique Passwords: We know it’s hard to remember the hundreds of passwords you have; however, you need to have strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts, especially financial accounts. We use 1Password and LassPass on our team. Use these password managers to generate and store passwords securely.
#3. Set-up Two-Factor Authentication: We recommend that you set up two-factor authentication wherever possible (email accounts, banks/financial institutions, social media sites, etc.). This gives you an additional layer of security. These codes are sent to your phone or email oftentimes. There are also two-step authentication apps.
#4. Don’t Use Public Wi-Fi: It’s so tempting! However, we recommend you get a hot spot on your phone. These public Wi-Fi networks are often insecure (which hackers love and work to intercept your data.) You can also pay for a VPN (virtual private network) when using public Wi-Fi. These tools work to encrypt your internet connection.
#5. Watch Out for Phishing: Have you ever gotten an email from what you thought was a colleague asking you to pay this big bill (but it actually wasn’t them)? Phishing attacks try to trick you into sharing vital/confidential info…or even to get you to send them money. Always verify the authenticity of a sender and request verification before providing information you will regret later!
#6. Keep Your Software and Systems Updated: New security patches come out regularly to keep ahead of the bad guys. If you don’t update, you are vulnerable.
#7. Review Privacy Settings: Your phone, social media accounts, email accounts, etc…have privacy settings. Regularly review the settings on your online accounts and limit public visibility.
#8. Make Sure You Are On a Legitimate Website When Searching Online: Always check the URLs and websites you are on. Look for HTTPS in the URL to indicate a secure connection.
#9. Data Encrypt Sensitive Files: Add an extra layer of protection by encrypting sensitive files or data before transmitting them over the internet.
The bad guys make life hard for us. No method is foolproof, but if you take the above steps, you will reduce your overall risk.
When it comes to AI, be cautious with your information.
Good luck!
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