Scenic Drive with Rian: Big Data means no one can be isolated in cyberspace

In our modern world, nearly everyone who owns a smartphone or a computer is online in some way, whether that is through email accounts, communities like LinkedIn, or social media sites like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. 

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While you can take certain measures to make sure you are not posting anything that is inappropriate or that leaves you open to internet scammers, the truth is that once you use your personal information online, it can be very difficult to go back under the radar. 

Researchers, whose work focuses on Big Data - all the information that internet companies can possibly extract from the accounts of internet users, say that going offline is not as easy as simply deleting your social media accounts.

So what can you do? In many cases, technology and the internet make our lives and our work more pleasant and efficient - meaning that giving up the internet completely is not a viable option.

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You can only do your best to maintain peace of mind: keep an eye on all your passwords, practice social media etiquette, and teach your children how to use their devices and the internet responsibly.

For more advice, tune into the Scenic Drive on 17 October to listen to author and social media expert Emma Sadleir talk about navigating the internet and her new book, Selfies, Sexts and Smartphones.