Privacy is something that is constantly at stake on the Internet. Whenever we share data or information, we may run the risk that it ends up in the wrong hands. This happens, in many cases, due to mistakes we make. But it can also happen if the platform we use has a problem or is misused.
Google Photos privacy risks
The google photo platform is not an exception. It is a service that can pose a risk to privacy, so it is convenient to know what they are at all times. It will be up to you to avoid certain problems and you should take precautions to at least reduce the risk of those photos being stolen or misused.
They can hack the account
The first thing that can happen is that your Google Photos account is hacked. This can occur by different means. For example, they might launch a Phishing attack and get the password. They can also cast some kind of malware with which they can take control and access your account without permission.
To prevent this from happening, common sense is essential. Never log in through links that are sent to you, always use a good antivirus and keep your device updated to correct vulnerabilities. That will help you to be more protected and not have problems that could compromise you.
You don’t have full control over the photos
Another problem is that you don’t really have full control over the photos you upload to the platform. It is not the same as if you save them on a hard drive that you own or use a NAS server that you own. In this case, you have everything hosted on a server that belongs to a company, which is Google.
Although there should be no problems, at least on paper, you never know what can happen. They could use those images to get some information about you, there could be some problem, etc. Also, that service could stop working at any time and lose everything you have stored.
Service vulnerabilities
The vulnerabilities they occur frequently. We may come across a security breach that affects a system, a device, an Internet service… This, inevitably, can put your privacy at risk when using Google Photos. You could have major problems.
What you can do, at least to reduce the risk, is to make sure that you always have the app up to date. If a vulnerability arises, Google will launch patches to correct it. Being up to date and always having the latest versions is important.
Google can access your photos
Although in the privacy policy they indicate that they will not use your photos, Google can actually access them. After all, they are hosted on their servers. They could track them, see what you uploaded, even share them with the law if necessary. That means that, at any moment, they could reach change their privacy policies or that for some reason enter your files.
It is something similar to what can happen with any cloud storage platform. 100% privacy does not exist. You will not have the maximum guarantees that you will not have problems in the future.
targeted advertising
We return to the same thing that we mentioned before. On paper, Google does not access your images. However, there are many users who have warned of advertising oriented they receive based on the images they upload to the platform. Basically, they look for interests to offer products.
For example, maybe you go to a mobile store and take a photo of a mobile phone and upload it to Google Photos to later view it at home or pass it on to someone. The next day, you enter Facebook, surf the Internet and visit any website, and you start seeing mobile advertising.
As you can see, Google Photos is a useful platform, where you can host images and videos, but your privacy could be compromised. It is something you should always have and it is not exclusive to this service.