Have you been tuning in to our weekly episodes of the Privacy Files podcast? Privacy Files makes privacy approachable for everyone. It was released earlier this year on all major podcast platforms and is sponsored by Anonyome Labs, the makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. What’s more, Privacy Files is now sitting firmly in the top 1 percent of podcasts globally because it has easily surpassed the 20-episode milestone that most podcasts never achieve!

Here are six reasons why you should get Privacy Files in your ears right now. Or, go straight to the pod to catch up on episodes.

Last time we talked about Privacy Files on the blog, we drew your attention to some headlining topics with significant privacy risks, including TikTok, dating apps, ChatGPT, and your sensitive medical data. Co-hosts Rich and Sarah have since tackled a ton more topics about aspects of life where our personal information and privacy are at risk every day.

Here are 9 privacy insights you might have missed on our Privacy Files podcast lately:

1. Cybersecurity and remote work

More than 80 per cent of US businesses have suffered some form of cyberattack, and more remote work post-pandemic has increased the risk significantly. One attack can cost a business millions to rectify. From phishing and ransomware to denial-of-service attacks and malware, this episode examines the risk to businesses and employees and offers some tips for working from home safely and privately.

2. Teens and online safety

Teens spend hours on their mobile devices every day, but when they encounter a risky situation online, only 1 out of every 4 times do they inform a parent. What’s more, 9 per cent of teens have experienced unwanted sexual solicitations, 23 per cent of teens have experienced unwanted exposure to pornography, and 11 per cent of teens have experienced cyberbullying or online harassment. Listen to this episode for how to keep children safe online, including how to use MySudo, the world’s only all-in-one privacy app, to protect their privacy.

3. Online gaming

An astonishing 85 per cent of teens play video games regularly. So, have you ever wondered how private is gamers’ personal information in that environment? The answer is not very private. Crimes such as identity theft, account takeover, swatting, doxing, and data breaches are rife among the gaming community. To protect yourself or a gamer you know, use a virtual private network (VPN) and MySudo. Learn more tips in the episode.

4. Spy balloons and surveillance technology

You probably heard about the Chinese spy balloon over the United States in early 2023. While this incident may have been an attempt by the Chinese government to gather intelligence from American military installations, the U.S. State Department says the spy balloon was capable of intercepting Americans’ communications and pinpointing the location of those conversing on the ground. The episode features an interview with Dr. Juan Deaton about the science of radio waves and wireless communications technologies, and whether American individuals should be concerned. Tune in for an informative and unnerving chat, and have Dr. Deaton put things in perspective.

5. Smart devices

There are 15.14 billion internet-connected devices worldwide, and that number is expected to double by 2030. In 2020, the number of IoT devices surpassed the number of non-IoT devices. Smart devices are convenient tools for our hectic and complicated lives, but is that convenience worth risking our privacy? This 2-part series on the podcast pinpoints the pros and cons of wireless and hardwired smart devices and explores the data privacy picture for a host of devices.

6. Income taxes

With approximately 94 per cent of all individual tax returns in the United States filed electronically, just how safe is our personal information? There’s been a 300 per cent increase in cyberattacks on accounting firms since the pandemic-led increase in remote work, and in 2022, there were nearly 8 million reports of suspicious activity related to income tax filing. This episode gives the lowdown on how to protect your privacy at tax time.

7. Password security

Eighty per cent of hacking-related breaches are linked to passwords, 59 per cent of people use their name or birth date in their password (definitely not a good idea!), and only 45 per cent of people say they would change a password after a breach. All of this makes it incredibly important to tune into this episode for great ways to proactively protect your information, including regularly resetting passwords, using a password manager, and enabling multifactor authentication.

8. Wedding planning

The average financial cost of a wedding in America is about $30,000, but what about the privacy cost? Planning a wedding means communicating with a plethora of vendors, from photographers and caterers to musicians and cake bakeries. All this sharing exposes you to spam and scams—definitely not the ideal way to start married life! If you’re a bride-to-be or know one, tune into this episode for wedding planning that’s free of privacy pitfalls.

9. Influencers and safety

Being an influencer can bring money and Hollywood-style fame, but often at great personal cost to privacy. We’ve all heard shocking incidents of stalkers tracking down content creators and social media celebs, including Kim Kardashian who was robbed at gunpoint in her Paris hotel room in 2016. If you’re building your social media following, first follow the privacy and safety tips in this episode. This blog article is useful too.

Don’t miss our Privacy Files podcast. Episodes land weekly.

And in the meantime, download MySudo, the world’s only all-in-one privacy app.