Amr Farouk, head of information security solutions company JAT DEV, warned that digital platforms and applications have come to rely on strategies to collect massive amounts of data that far exceed what is necessary to operate their core services. He explained during a press conference that a simple interaction with video conferencing applications or artificial intelligence platforms may be sufficient to build an accurate personal profile of the user, including their interests, behaviors, and lifestyles.
Farouk pointed out that these platforms do not content themselves with collecting data, but also work on analyzing it and segmenting users according to socio-economic brackets, place of residence, and even precise personal preferences. This process aims to determine the behavioral patterns of each user, giving companies a superior ability to target advertising content and directly influence individuals' directions and choices.
What is Actually Collected?
Farouk highlighted the concept of Irrelevant Data, which is information not required by the application's primary function but collected for other purposes. Examples include:
- Identifiers: To track digital activity.
- Search History: To understand user interests.
- Consumption Patterns: Such as data consumption rates and other applications being run.
Technical Challenges in Encryption and Privacy
Farouk discussed the gap between technical promises and practical reality, especially regarding End-to-End Encryption technology. Although this technology aims to prevent third parties from viewing content, there are fundamental questions about the mechanisms of managing Encryption Keys and the entities that have the ability to access them.
He also noted that the development in data analysis tools and artificial intelligence has allowed platforms to process Metadata, images, and files to extract detailed indicators about individuals, even without the need to directly break message encryption.
Digital Sovereignty and National Security
The head of JAT DEV stressed that the danger of these practices multiplies when it concerns institutional data, particularly governmental and financial entities. He considered this information to be sovereign assets that should not be traded via unsecured commercial communication channels, emphasizing the necessity of providing secure communication means that guarantee information protection and enhance the concept of digital sovereignty amid increasing reliance on global platforms to manage sensitive communications.