It’s very easy to think the digital world is somehow separate, unreal, and disconnected from our day-to-day life. But then again, is it really that far away? Most of us use the internet in some form every single day of our lives, from asking our home assistant for the latest weather and traffic updates before work, to managing our bank balance from our smartphone, to even updating the firmware of electronic hearing aids and other highly specific devices.
Sure, an offline life is more than possible, but for most people living in modern societies, the internet is an undercurrent we all use. That especially remains true if you enjoy travel. Finding the best deals, renting a vehicle in advance and picking it up from the parking station, comparing flight costs, all of this is more possible when we book online. Some hotels even ask you to download an app to help unlock your room.
That being said, when traveling it’s important to protect your digital safety correctly. In this post, we’ll consider what that may mean, and how to curate its approach correctly:
Public Wi-Fi Risks
We’ve all sat in a coffee shop and connected to WiFi, or connected to the network at a hotel. But the truth is that cyber-scammers or even those with tech proficiencies can read your unencrypted traffic and maybe use it to their advantage. Sure, the likelihood is small, but it’s good to be prepared. A VPN can help you encrypt that traffic and it’s also quite cheap to install them on your devices.
Internet Risks & Laws
Now, not all countries are particularly friendly and free when it comes to your online habits. It’s not wise to head to a country with a fairly authoritarian government and start posting heavy-handed criticisms of them, at least while you’re there. But it might also be that certain programs are limited. For example, while using VPN in UAE is legal, there may be some stipulations worth knowing in the linked resource. That way, you can stay safer within this environment.
Caution On Social Media
If there’s one thing that feels exciting to post about on social media, it’s where you’re going, how you’re traveling, and the sights you’ve seen. But a real-time diary basically just tracks your movements in real time. It’s quite easy for people to see where you are, what you’re doing, that you’re not in your hotel room, that you’re headed to a specific place, and of course, that’s not too safe. Will there be cyber-criminals following you and tracking your every move? Not likely. But it does happen. Always only post about your travels when you’ve moved on.
Bonus: Data Backup
It’s a simple point, but it’s important to remember that data can corrupt if you’re not careful, especially on hard drives you’re moving with. USB sticks are easy to lose as well, as are SD cards from expensive cameras. If you can use digital cloud solutions and make backups of your photos, you can limit data loss. Also – print out those tickets!
With this advice, you’ll be sure to protect your digital safety while traveling.
