Category Archives: Privacy

Crypto Isn’t Anonymous and Exchanges Are a Big Part of It

If you asked a person on the street if cryptocurrency is anonymous many would say yes.

It certainly looks anonymous. A Bitcoin address is a long string of randomly generated letters and numbers. If you were to send a friend Bitcoin you wouldn’t see their name anywhere during the process. And your friend who received it wouldn’t see who it came from.

In actuality, crypto is pseudo-anonymous. Anybody can look up an address on the public blockchain and see a full history of the transactions that have been made. They just don’t know who the people are behind those transactions.

Cybercriminals have been tracked down through their crypto addresses time and time again by blockchain forensics firms that have aided authorities. Thus, while it isn’t straightforward to associate a crypto address with a real person it can be done reliably by specialists.

The first thing you need when you get into crypto is an account at an exchange like Coinbase or Kraken. Since they’re the entry point, they’ve been given the role of making sure their customers are real people. Unfortunately, that means online privacy has become a pipedream for crypto investors.

So, Why Do Exchanges Need to Confirm Your Identity Exactly?

Crypto exchanges have been scrambling in recent years to stay compliant with government regulations. Since then, they have become more vigilant about confirming that customers are who they claim to be.

Crypto exchanges routinely ask users to provide ID and take a selfie to verify their identity. Verification could be necessary to complete any meaningful action, such as creating an account, transferring crypto to a wallet on the exchange, or withdrawing crypto.

The reasons for identity verification can be vague or even misleading on their websites.

When faced with the question of why it’s necessary, Binance puts it back on the customer. In their support center, users are met with a list of justifications. They could have accessed their account with multiple IP addresses, not completed face verification, or not enabled two-factor authentication.

Uphold simply tells customers that providing ID and a selfie helps them verify your identity, and keep their platform secure.

To give credit where it’s due, Coinbase wins for transparency on this. They confirm that the primary reason it’s done is for compliance:

“Coinbase uses identity verification in order to comply with Know Your Customer (KYC) laws. KYC is a way to identify and confirm that a customer is who they say they are. It’s a multi-step process that helps prevent the creation and use of fraudulent accounts.”

Have Regulators Taken Away Crypto’s Superpower of Pseudo Anonymity?

We’ve covered that crypto isn’t truly anonymous, but that doesn’t mean its pseudo-anonymity isn’t useful or desirable.

Cryptocurrency provides the ability to make peer-to-peer transactions that are the closest thing we have to digital cash.

Once you put an institution between you and the recipient, it takes away what’s great about crypto. One could argue that it’s even less anonymous than traditional finance when it’s used like that.

The technology itself cannot be regulated. So, exchanges and crypto on-ramps have been given the task of keeping tabs on their customers. If people keep using these services like banks to store their coins, they’ll act more and more like banks.

When Sharing Your Personal Data Isn’t Worth the Risk

The fewer exchanges that have your photo ID, the better. You may trust the company, but people need to consider the possibility of your personal data being intercepted by a nefarious third party.

Crypto exchanges are common targets for cybercriminals. And these days, the personal data of crypto investors is a valuable asset.

Be strategic about which exchanges you choose to use. Many have opened accounts to get access to hot new coins and then rarely or never accessed these platforms after the hype settled down. Determine what you need going forward and close the accounts that aren’t necessary.

Get Your Coins Off of Exchanges!

“Not your keys, not your coins” is a popular phrase used by crypto enthusiasts. When you have your crypto on an exchange, guess who controls the keys? Hint: it isn’t you.

Exchanges are not banks. They’re best used as an on-ramp and for trading and that’s it. If there’s a security event, some exchanges attempt to reimburse their customers’ losses, but it’s certainly not guaranteed nor insured by FDIC.

Finding a way to secure your coins and put them into cold storage requires technical chops, knowledge, and in some cases, the right gadgets. Additionally, crypto exchanges typically charge withdrawal fees on top of the network fees associated with the coin. Thus, there are barriers in place that make people put off securing their coins.

Whatever you have to do, it’s almost always worth it. Get your coins off of exchanges. Consider picking up a Trezor One [Amazon] or Ledger Nano S [Amazon] for long-term storage.

Conclusion

Bitcoin was created so people could be their own bank. Instead, exchanges have become the banks for crypto assets at the cost of the privacy of its holders.

It’s time to reconsider how we use crypto exchanges. Customers have to share their ID and take a selfie to confirm their identity. The question is: how safe is our personal data in their hands?

Online Privacy Has Become “Very Creepy” Says Mozilla

If you ever felt we’ve come dangerously close to George Orwell’s dystopian vision in 1984, you’re on to something. Big Brother isn’t watching but the products we use every day and the companies behind them certainly are.

They’re best known for their web browser, Firefox, but Mozilla is also an online privacy watchdog. Since 2017 they’ve been reviewing products and assessing what data is collected and who it’s being shared with.

Their annual consumer Creep-O-Meter takes all those findings, distills them, and gives you a big-picture view of the current state of digital privacy and where we’re headed.

According to the oversized, shocked emoji on their site, things aren’t looking good. The state of digital privacy is “very creepy.”

The Good News: Online Security Has Improved

The report isn’t all doom and gloom.

More companies are using encryption and giving their customers automatic updates. So, while companies are hungry for personal data, and they’re typically sharing it to make additional revenue, the data is generally sent securely. That means it’s much harder for third parties to intercept personal data illegitimately.

It’s important to remember that companies might not always make decisions that put their customers first but they’re not the threat. Rather, consumers should be most concerned about nefarious third parties that steal private data.

The Bad: Long Privacy Policies and Products that Don’t Work Offline

If you’ve skipped privacy policies, skimmed others, and occasionally read sections of them, you’re in the majority.

Insanely long privacy policies that no human possibly has time to read are the norm. If you’re ambitious enough to go through one, the legal jargon and lack of clarity may give you just as many questions as answers.

A machine learning analysis found that since 1996 the typical privacy policy has grown to over 4,000 words.

Another growing trend is products that need an internet connection to operate, with no “offline mode.”

Devices use so many online services today that it’s tricky to give people a decent user experience without the internet. And since there isn’t much incentive for companies to offer the ability to go offline, many companies have given up on the idea.

Going offline is the simplest, most effective way to protect your private data. When apps and gadgets neither offer a way to use them offline nor manage privacy settings, customers are left with a choice: accept data practices they might not be comfortable with or stop using them entirely.

New Cars Are the Creepiest Products

Perhaps the biggest shocker of all is that 100% of car makers failed to pass Mozilla’s privacy test.

If you’re looking for car brands that are slightly less aggressive about collecting and using your personal data, you won’t find much. All the big auto manufacturers are practically moving in lockstep.

Nissan won for the highest creep factor. The Japan-based company collects data about “sexual activity, health diagnosis data, and genetic information” according to Mozilla.

And when it comes to overall privacy with the most room for improvement, Tesla took the cake. Tesla was given an “X” in every category in their report about the state of privacy in car brands.

Most Gadgets Have Mics and Cameras

Perhaps it’s just too tempting to harvest data about customers when all the tools are built right into the products. Over 90% of gadgets, apps, and cars have a mic, a camera, or both.

The products with the highest “creepiness” may surprise you. Gaming consoles, smart video doorbells, smart speakers, and GPS watches were common near the top of Mozilla’s “Privacy Not Included” list.

Video call apps such as Apple’s Facetime were some of the worst when it comes to data privacy policies.

Quick Tips to Take Control of Your Privacy

  • Opt-out: When you install apps, you could be given the opportunity to limit or stop data collection and sharing. If privacy settings are available, poke around and see if you can make changes that will improve your online privacy.
  • Check permissions and deny access as needed: Android and iOS allow you to manage which apps have access to your location, contacts, camera, etc. as well as in what circumstances they’re permitted to access them. It’s a good practice to review these permissions every now and again.
  • Clear private data companies have about you: Tech companies such as Google and Meta allow you to delete your personal data they store on their servers. If you continue to use their services, they’ll resume collecting data in most cases but at least you’ll start fresh.
  • Use a VPN: Add a layer of anonymity and encryption between your device and the internet with a virtual private network. It allows you to easily hide your IP address which is one of the key ways you are identified online. Learn about the top 3 VPN services here.
  • Delete apps you’re not using: It may be surprising to some, but apps you don’t even use can still collect data about you. Old apps that haven’t received security updates may contain personal information that is low-hanging fruit for data thieves.
  • Read the privacy policy: No, not the privacy policy, right? It might be duller reading material than the phonebook, but if you use an app or product every day it’s important to know how it handles your data.

Conclusion

The smart technology we have in our homes has added efficiency to our lives and connected us to the world, but it has its costs.

More than ever companies are using their products to collect and share the personal data of their customers. The big data industry provides lucrative opportunities to manufacturers. Tough economic times have corporations looking for alternative revenue sources.

Before you set up an “always on” device in your home such as a smart speaker or smart video doorbell, consider if the upside outweighs the downside. Products in certain categories have privacy drawbacks across the board.

Why New Cars are a Privacy Nightmare

What do you think about when you picture a young couple in a convertible with big smiles, sunglasses, and the wind blowing through their hair?

Many associate cars with freedom. Cars represent the freedom to go wherever you want, and experience all life has to offer.

The world has changed dramatically since that idea was established. Today’s cars are more like computers on wheels.

Savvy folks are aware of the privacy pitfalls of smartphones, social media, and online games. Far fewer think about the fact that their new car collects data about them, sells that data, and offers limited to no way to opt out of it.

Now for the cringey part: Some car manufacturers are even interested in the sex life of their customers.

How can it be this bad? Here’s a theory:

The Haze of Innovation

People are enthralled with their smart cars.

Companies like Tesla are innovating in a big way in the space, and the uptick in advancement in the industry is a relatively new phenomenon. Thus, certain realities like the lack of online privacy in new cars haven’t quite hit the average customer’s radar.

Smartphones and social media have been around long enough for the blind enthusiasm to dim. Tech companies recognize that giving people greater control of their online privacy is responsible and ultimately good for business.

Car manufacturers can get away with not-so-hot online privacy policies because it’s still the early days. However, history has taught us that eventually, consumers will demand better privacy, and in time, car manufacturers will be forced to rethink their approach.

Rapid Advancement in Auto Tech

Your first car was likely a way to get from point A to point B. My, how times have changed.

From the rise of electric vehicles to the promise of fully autonomous cars, advancement in the auto industry is incredible right now.

Electric car sales are reaching new heights. In the second quarter of 2023, nearly 300,000 EVs (fully electric vehicles) were sold in the U.S. alone.

The computers in Telsa’s vehicles are so powerful that they can run video games. And we’re not talking mobile games with low requirements. Telsa’s CEO Elon Musk demonstrated the capabilities of its Model S Plaid by playing Cyberpunk 2077 [Amazon]. He stated their computer hardware offered “PS5-level performance.”

Unfortunately, growing pains come along with the innovation.

Computer hardware and software this advanced are new things in cars. It’s going to take time to perfect the fine points. To your typical customer, online privacy doesn’t have that wow factor that software features do. And it’s the wow factor that sells cars. Thus, privacy is not a top priority for auto manufacturers yet.

Mozilla’s Study Roasts the Auto Industry for Its Approach to Privacy

A recent study on the state of privacy of car brands pulled no punches. Mozilla went as far as to say new cars are a “privacy nightmare on wheels.”

Every brand, from Ford and Volkswagen to Toyota, failed their privacy test.

Researchers found that sensors, microphones, cameras, connected devices, and phones are being deployed to gather some pretty questionable data about customers.

They put it like this: “(It) can collect deeply personal data such as sexual activity, immigration status, race, facial expressions, weight, health and genetic information, and where you drive.”

Wondering how that information can possibly relate to driving, navigating, and the services you use on the road?

Well, it doesn’t. And that leads us to the next topic: What they actually do with the data.

76% of Car Companies Sell Your Data

Corporations are always looking for new revenue centers that offset the challenges they face. And gathering data about consumers is big business.

Data is a $300 billion-a-year industry. And it employs 3 million people in the U.S.

While some of the data is used for the auto manufacturer’s own research, marketing, or business purposes, Mozilla found that 84% of them sell it or share it. It then gets into the hands of service providers, data brokers, and other businesses.

By digging deep into their terms of service, they also found that 56% can share your information with the government or law enforcement.

Car Brands Are Largely the Same with It Comes to Privacy

Mozilla created a chart that compares car brands for privacy. Companies with a failing grade were given an ‘X’ for the following categories: data use, data control, track record, security, and AI.

Brands largely weren’t that different in their approach to privacy across the board.

The major brands you’ve heard of mostly received four dings out of five. Subaru, BMW, Fiat, Jeep, Chrysler, and Dodge faired a bit better with three dings. And Tesla was the only one to get an ‘X’ in every single category.

California Probes Internet-Connected Cars

The Wild West in data practices for new cars is not going to last.

California recently revealed that privacy regulators would probe the data practices of newer cars that are connected to the internet.

The California Privacy Protection Agency was established in 2020 by a ballot initiative that beefed up the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018.

It’s a start, and this may set a precedent for other states to follow.

Conclusion

The current CEO of Ford Motor Company revealed the following: “We know everyone who breaks the law, we know when you’re doing it. We have GPS in your car, so we know what you’re doing.”

The vast majority of people are law-abiding citizens. Do auto manufacturers really need to have this level of power to probe their customers at will?

Considering the less-than-stellar grades by Mozilla’s report, the auto industry has a thing or two to learn about using technology responsibly. Just because you can do it, doesn’t mean you should.

Once customers become more aware of data privacy in connected cars, manufacturers will be able to out-compete each other by employing better practices. Let’s hope that’s the next step in this technological revolution, rather than the big players moving in lockstep.

Improve Your Privacy on Social Media: Top Mistakes to Avoid

Who isn’t on social media these days? 60% of the global population and 93% of all internet users use social media apps. You may have never imagined your grandma would get decorating ideas before you do on Pinterest, but it’s happened.

It’s given us unparalleled opportunities to stay connected but it’s also made maintaining our online privacy a bit complicated.

We grew up with cautionary tales of how famous people like Michael Jackson, Elvis, and Marilyn Monroe were driven to the edge by the loss of their privacy. Of course, we never thought normal people would face the same challenges on a smaller scale.

Most people who are doing something enterprising or of public interest need to market themselves, whether they’re entrepreneurs, politicians, musicians, or authors. If you want to succeed, it’s part of the game. But that doesn’t mean you can’t keep your private life private.

Here are key privacy mistakes that can be easy to make on social media. Do your best to avoid them and sleep soundly knowing you’ve done your part.

You reveal personally identifiable information

Many mistakenly believe that because they don’t have a high profile on social media, have low income, or have bad credit, identity theft isn’t something to be concerned about. It is!

Today’s bad guys are organized, savvy, and they’ve got incredible tech at their disposal. You might not think it’s a big deal to reveal your email address, your username, or another small piece of information that’s associated with your identity. Remember that criminals can potentially build databases to piece together information over time.

Generally, avoid posting documents issued to you by governments, institutions, or businesses online. Leaking small pieces of personal data such as account numbers, or even your mailing address can come back to haunt you one day and it’s commonly done. In fact, according to a study by Experian, Americans have posted an average of 3.4 pieces of sensitive information online.

You overshare about personal events

Oversharing can mean many things. It can mean getting into an emotionally-charged state and posting about one’s personal drama. It can mean talking poorly about your ex or your former employer and getting into detail about past experiences.

It’s a tougher issue than it might seem because we bond with others by sharing things about ourselves, including our vulnerabilities.

If you post regularly on social media you have to reflect and be honest with yourself. Determine which parts of your life you’re comfortable with being public knowledge and which parts you prefer to keep private. Once the cat’s out of the bag there’s no going back.

Some people are proficient at discovering dirt about people and then spreading gossip. That’s not something you have control of, but don’t make it easy for them by creating a record that can be repurposed as ammunition.

Remember that many are generally unsympathetic to the problems of others. Tell the few you most trust your personal news to get it off your chest and leave it at that.

You reveal your exact location

Geotagging is incredible from a technological perspective. People who are interested in the happenings in an area can tap on the location and see related posts. Thus, it adds to the discoverability of your content.

If overused, geotagging gives people a way to track your activities. More and more it’s being used with precision so that people know which neighbourhood you’re in, right down to the restaurant you’re dining at.

Use geotagging judiciously. You can flex some by letting your followers know you’re visiting New York City without naming the bagel shop.

You post photos of your children publicly

The average parent posts nearly 1,500 pictures of their child online before age five according to a study by Nominet.

Parents are proud of their kids. They’re a huge part of their world, and that’s wonderful. However, sometimes we have to remind ourselves that Instagram isn’t a family photo album.

Ever heard the term “sharenting?” It’s when parents publicize personal information about their child online. People wouldn’t imagine sharing detailed private information about their friends online, but “sharenting” is incredibly common. And it’s usually done without permission by the child.

Many parents don’t think about it, but a photo or video that is funny or cute might not be seen the same in the future. At best, it will be slightly embarrassing to your child. At worst, it could negatively impact their reputation later in life.

When we post content publicly, we create a record that can be accessed by people with bad intentions and by automated technologies. It opens your child up to risks such as facial recognition tracking, online security threats, and worse.

You accept friend requests from strangers

Bots and people who are pretending to be someone else (aka catfish) are incredibly common on social media.

Platforms like Facebook give you the opportunity to approve or deny friend requests. Not much good can come of adding someone you don’t recognize. Adding them could expose you and your friends to online security threats, scams, surveillance, and misleading information.

You share information about people without their permission

Social media tends to polarize people these days. One camp believes in the power of personal branding. Their careers depend on putting themselves out there online. The other camp is known to launch into rants about how social media is destroying the fabric of society.

There are a million and one reasons someone wouldn’t want you to post a group shot with them in it on social media. It’s best to never make assumptions. Let people know if you plan to post something about them online so they can opt out.

Posting photos or information about people could have ramifications for them you didn’t consider, whether it’s at their job or in their marriage. It might not strike you as fair or reasonable but you don’t want to be blamed for sparking a conflict.

You don’t use audience selection features

Want to share a story about your career journey but don’t want your ex-employer to see it? Some social media content falls into a gray area in terms of privacy decisions. Luckily, there’s a middle ground in-between public and private posts.

Apps like Facebook and Instagram allow you to create lists of people and deliver content to that audience only. Sometimes you can exclude people or a list of people from seeing a post or story as well.

For example, Instagram allows you to make a “Close Friends” list. And on Facebook, you can add people to your list of “Acquaintances.”

You don’t remove bots and fake accounts that follow you

On Platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn housecleaning your list of connections is easy because both sides have to agree to connect out of the gate.

It’s trickier to manage your followers on apps like Instagram and TikTok when you have a public account. It’s an ongoing process.

Every now and again, check your follower list and remove suspicious accounts. With practice, you’ll see patterns and it’ll be easy to spot certain types of fake accounts and scammers. In many cases, it won’t be clear what their objective is. But if there are clues that it isn’t a real person, it’s best to remove them rather than ignore them.

You don’t manage your tagged photos

Social media apps don’t have many restrictions when it comes to who can tag you in photos. In fact, on apps like Instagram spammers will tag you just so you’ll look at their post. And no, the image never has anything to do with you.

When potential employers or potential dates start digging through your profile, tagged photos are the first things they look at.

There are bound to be photos you’re tagged in that don’t send the right message. Take the time to check it every now and again, and remove your tag from the not-so-flattering shots, or the photos that reveal personal information you’re not comfortable with sharing with everyone.

You take questionable online quizzes

Facebook quizzes were huge back in the early days of the platform. People installed apps just to find out which character they are in Friends.

Quizzes seem like a fun and harmless way to share your personality traits with your friends. The problem is that the people who complete them usually don’t know who’s gathering their data and for what purpose.

If you think about it, quizzes are the perfect way for shady developers to extract data from people such as their name, birthdate, and other personal information. It doesn’t seem like much of a threat until you consider it can be pieced together and used for nefarious purposes.

You don’t use privacy settings and features

Every major platform has privacy features, and they usually go way beyond the ability to make your account private.

From hiding Likes on your post to limiting commenting to people you follow, social media apps allow you to use a lot of nuance when it comes to privacy. Experiment so that you’re confident in deploying privacy features when they’re most needed.

One of the key areas to investigate is the permissions the app has to access the data on your phone. Check its level of access to your photos, videos, location data, your mic, etc.

Location, camera, and microphone permissions can be set to “All the time,” “Allow only while using the app,” “Ask every time,” or “Don’t allow” on Android. There are no right or wrong answers here except that it makes sense to have stricter privacy settings on features you rarely use or don’t use.

Blocking access can break functionality in the app. So, test it before deciding how to approach your permission settings.

Conclusion

Let’s be clear, social media has plenty of benefits. Your online privacy is important but so is connecting with other amazing humans.

The key is to remind yourself of these privacy pitfalls before you hit the post button. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the moment and reveal too much.

I hope you leave this article with some takeaways that will make your online journey a bit smoother. Stay safe!

6 Reasons to Skip Signing Up on a New Social Media App

In the earlier days of social media, it was simple. People created an account on Facebook first to connect with their old college buddies. Then, perhaps they got LinkedIn or Twitter. And in many cases, that was it!

Today it seems like there’s a new social media app popping up every month. And when they do keep showing up in your feed oh boy do most of them get overhyped.

If it’s a casual platform it’s where all the cool kids are at. If it can benefit your career, thought leaders want you to believe if you’re not investing in it, you’re falling behind.

The social media craze isn’t going away anytime soon. Knowing when to pass on a new app can put you ahead of the pack.

1. The Time Sink

Just as the number of social media apps has increased, the hours we spend on them have too.

From 2012 to today the time people spent on social media has been steadily trending upwards. The stats get downright alarming when we look at young age groups. In fact, a study by Real Research found that over 38% of teens use social media for over 8 hours a day.

Do you wish you watched more TV as a kid? Of course not, right? It makes you wonder how we’ll view our social media use today in the future. Eventually, social media and heavy smartphone usage will be dethroned by the next big thing. And at that point, we’re bound to gain more clarity about how much value social media brought to our lives in comparison with the time we spent on it.

Social media is a powerful tool with plenty of benefits. But no activity is so important that it should consume our lives.

2. Privacy Concerns

When people think about online privacy, they often think about how their personal data is gathered, how their data is used, and privacy policies.

It encompasses so much more than that.

On many new social media platforms, anyone can follow you and not all of them have the best intentions. There’s so much personal information that can potentially be leaked by the content you post itself.

Employers use social media to screen candidates. Posting photos of children is something that needs to be carefully considered for their safety. One slip-up can give away your location, or reveal parts of your life not everyone should be trusted to know. The list of privacy concerns is quite endless.

New social media apps haven’t been around long enough to put robust privacy options in place. If it allows you to make your account private that greatly impacts the number of people you can reach. Ultimately, it’s a blunt instrument.

Mature platforms allow you to manage privacy on a more granular level. For example, Facebook allows you to create lists and exclude groups of coworkers or acquaintances from seeing certain content. Advanced privacy features like this aren’t available on new apps and likely will never be available.

Some new social media sites track your web traffic, mine data from your profile and private messages, or share your data with third parties. Review the app’s privacy policy and trust your gut when it comes to whether you trust the company with your data or not.

3. Flash in the Pan or Here to Stay?

Getting in early is a big part of success. Influencers, celebrities, and authors that have built massive followings on apps like Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) have proven it time and time again.

As time passes it tends to get harder to make your mark on a platform as it gets more saturated with creators. The best time to dive in is when many users are still spectators. More people that consume but don’t make content means more attention for those who do create.

So, why would you ever wait on the sidelines?

The truth is we easily forget all the social media apps that had a brief moment in the sun and then lost the interest of most of its users and failed to get new ones.

Maybe you remember when it was common to hear about Clubhouse, BeReal, and Mastodon. Going further back, you might recall when Google+ shut down, or when Myspace lost its appeal and transformed into a glitter and spam-filled abandoned amusement park.

Social media apps that remain popular for several years or decades are actually the exception, not the rule.

4. Is This Mic On?

When it comes to your potential audience, it pays to look beyond the hype and study the numbers.

Established platforms like Instagram have been adding active users for many years. Thus, even new apps that had an incredibly successful launch have nowhere near the audience as older social media sites do.

Of the people that have created an account, most are not fully invested in the new platform. Like you, they’re testing the waters and determining if it’s worth it to stick around. If the app gained a user base quickly it can lose it just as fast.

Let’s study a bit of social media history, shall we?

Meta launched Threads in July 2023 to compete with Twitter. It got up to 100 million users in less than a week which looked incredibly promising. However, by the end of July over 50% of its users had already left.

With so many established alternatives, it’s challenging for new apps to retain their user base.

5. Barebones, Isn’t It?

No social media app is launched with a full set of advanced features. The options you considered to be basic on mature platforms simply aren’t present on new apps.

It takes years for apps to hit their stride when it comes to their features and identity. Just think about how much Instagram has changed over the years. It started as a basic photo-sharing app. Over time, Instagram added Stories, improved video capabilities, and Reels to stay competitive with other apps.

Giving up features doesn’t seem like a big deal until you experience it. It usually feels like going backward. You may find that you’re not willing to accept a lesser user experience just to jump on the latest bandwagon.

6. Technical Woes

If there’s one constant with technology, it’s that not everything works as it should all the time.

New social media sites haven’t been rigorously tested by users. So, there are bound to be issues the developers missed. Its early users become the app’s beta testers and arguably its guinea pigs.

Spammers can scammers are always looking for new opportunities. And there are fewer tools at a new app’s disposal to curtail undesirable behaviour. Dealing with bad actors inevitably leads to situations in which legitimate users face frustrating hurdles.

Apps are incredibly complex and challenging to manage. Thus, solving tech issues is like a game of whack-a-mole. And the newer the app, the more moles tend to pop up.

Conclusion

Feel like you’re missing out because you’re not using one of the latest social media apps? Don’t sweat it because you’re dodging the headaches as well.

Sometimes watching and waiting is the wise move. The perfect time to invest in a new app typically isn’t when it first becomes available. It’s good to get in early, but best to skip the days when the app hasn’t made its long-term potential clear.