Keeping people at the centre in an AI‑shaped world
Data Privacy Day is an opportunity to pause and consider how technology can better support our wellbeing. Artificial intelligence now plays a role in everything, such as the recent work Ericom has done with councils to explore AI‑assisted systems that help understand crowd flow during major events and adopting AI‑enabled tools in areas like call centres and mobile management to improve accuracy and response. The same shift is taking place in everyday digital life, although not always with good intentions.
How is AI changing the way we experience everyday digital life?
AI tools are making work faster and more creative, but they have also lowered the effort needed for impersonation attempts and misleading messages. Local governments continue to report high volumes of attempted cyber intrusions, and scams using AI now mimicking voices, writing styles and familiar communication patterns well enough to fool even cautious staff. Understanding that these techniques exist helps frame why bad faith digital interactions can feel less predictable than they used to and why reducing our digital footprint limits how much information bad‑faith actors can use against our family, friends and colleagues.
What personal information should you rethink sharing online?
One helpful habit is being intentional about the information you share online. Even harmless details, like where you work, what you’re doing this weekend, or a photo in your feed, can be pieced together by AI systems to form a detailed profile. Many platforms also display profile fields more widely than people realise, giving automated crawlers more context than intended. This everyday information counts as personal data and can be reused in ways you may not expect, including training models that generate convincing impersonations. Choosing to keep certain details private makes it harder for bad actors to build a narrative about you and easier for AI to work for you, not against you.
What small habits genuinely improve your AI privacy day‑to‑day?
Strengthening privacy also comes from small, thoughtful habits that give you a moment to think before acting. Checking the sender of an unexpected message, pausing before approving payments, and confirming unusual requests through a second channel are simple ways to protect yourself. These steps give your brain time to process what’s happening so privacy becomes something that supports confident decision making.
On a wider scale, organisations can help by normalising the gentle safety checks built into modern tools. Identity prompts, brief pauses, or extra verification before accessing sensitive information are not interruptions. They are quiet protections designed to prevent mistakes and keep information where it belongs.
Why are prompts, pauses and extra steps actually helpful?
Understanding why these checks occur also makes patience easier. Just as we naturally pause before crossing a road, these digital moments of verification help ensure only you can act on your identity, your work, and your information. They also counter the “act fast” pressure that many scams rely on. Embracing verification, being open to clarifying questions, and accepting occasional delays is part of a good digital hygiene that helps create an environment where privacy feels supportive, not restrictive.
What’s the next step in understanding real incidents?
At Ericom, we recently brought together leaders in insurance, law and cyber security for a webinar that explored the real business impact of cyber incidents, legal obligations, insurance considerations and practical steps to reduce risk. It helps organisations understand what happens after an attack and how to respond with clarity rather than panic. Fill out the form to get access to the recording today.
This Data Privacy Day, the message is clear. Privacy is not about restriction. It is about creating digital spaces that help people think and collaborate with confidence.
