Updated 3/15/17:
As if we weren’t already peppered enough with news about privacy issues, another celebrity has fallen victim to a photo hack—and we have to say, this needs to end now. Emma Watson’s private images have been reported stolen, and although they’re not nude, they still represent a concern regarding the invasion of a person’s privacy in this day and age. According to The Telegraph, the actress’ representatives have already issued a statement to clarify that the pictures were taken at a clothes fitting a couple years ago. (Rumors of the leak originated on Reddit, where information can be anonymously shared.)
“Even worse than seeing women’s privacy violated on social media is reading the accompanying comments that show such a lack of empathy,” Emma tweeted following the massive celebrity nude photo hack in 2014. We’ve officially had enough.
Original 12/7/16:
This morning we were faced with a stark reminder of the potential dangers of the Internet. Actress Maisie Williams of Game of Thrones fame became the latest target of online hackers as half-naked images of her were shared across sites like Reddit. The 19-year-old celebrity has now unfortunately joined the ranks of those targeted by this unsettling trend—you might recall the celebrity nude photo hack in 2014 that affected A-listers like Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Bosworth and Blake Lively—and is yet another reminder that this online invasion of privacy, which disproportionately affects women, has to stop.
In recent years, Internet security has become a growing concern, with prominent banks and governments falling prey to cyber criminals. Even relative unknowns like ourselves are at risk; over the summer, data breach monitor LeakedSource reported that 32 million Twitter usernames (and passwords) were compromised.
So the question is: How can we protect ourselves from hackers? Aside from developing strong passwords that differ from site to site, help keep paranoia at bay with apps and services that provide online security for free or at a low cost. Sign up for two-factor authentication. Download Skycure and NowSecure Mobile to make sure you’re safely connected. Your personal privacy is non-negotiable.
