What do I have to hide?
What is «personal data»?
Data is information that can be collected and stored. When you use websites or apps, for example, the language you speak or the type of smartphone you use is automatically recorded. Other information, such as your email address or your age, is deliberately entered when you register with a website or app.
As soon as you share or like something on Instagram or Tiktok, search for a skateboard in a search engine or watch music videos on YouTube, you leave data behind. And if the location function on your mobile phone is switched on, it even records where you are.
Why is the data valuable?
The companies behind services and platforms such as Google, Instagram and Tiktok collect information about you and use it to create a profile. For example, they know how old you are, that you skateboard, what music you listen to and where you often go.
They can earn a lot of money with such profiles, because other companies pay to show their adverts on websites or apps to people who are interested in them. They hope that these people will then buy their products. And so you too may often be shown adverts that match your profile - for a new skate park or a concert by your favourite band in your area, for example.
Pro Juventute offers many tips on this topic: www.projuventute.ch
For example in this article here:
«How children learn to protect their data on the internet»
And what's the problem?
It may sound practical at first that you see adverts that might interest you. However, it can also be annoying if you are constantly shown or emailed unsolicited adverts. What's more, it is often unclear exactly who your data is being passed on to and what is being done with it.
As a general rule, you should therefore always be careful when using apps and websites, pay attention to what they do with your data and do not reveal more about yourself than necessary. For example, don't give your full name, address or telephone number.
