Los metadatos son fragmentos de información que se utilizan para clasificar, organizar e incluso facilitar la búsqueda de otra información. en pocas palabras, los metadatos son datos sobre datos. Un ejemplo de metadatos son las fichas de los catálogos de las bibliotecas. Estas fichas contienen algunos datos sobre un libro. Por ejemplo, la ficha puede tener una categoría, un código, un título del libro, su autor y una breve sinopsis del mismo. Con esta tarjeta se puede encontrar la ubicación exacta de un libro en una biblioteca. Pero primero tiene que haber una forma de crear metadatos.
Metadatos, Internet y servicios digitales
In this digital era, the internet and many digital services rely on metadata for them to function properly. For instance, the internet uses packets which carry information from one destination to another. the packets contain a header which is full of metadata. This metadata informs the internet services and nodes where the respective information should be directed. Below are some ways in which metadata makes other digital services we use daily to work as intended;
Si no fuera por los metadatos, no encontraríamos las páginas web que buscamos en Internet. Una página web contiene metadatos obligatorios, como el título, una descripción, palabras clave, etc. Los motores de búsqueda utilizan estos metadatos para buscar páginas web. Los motores de búsqueda utilizan estos metadatos para obtener las páginas web.
Social media and networking – our social media accounts almost have every detail of information about us. if you have been keen, you might have realized you have used Facebook, Twitter or Google to log into other third-party apps/sites. Usually, when this happens, you give access to basic information such as date of birth, your friend list and even permission to post on your behalf. In simple terms, these third-party apps are requesting access to your metadata in which they use to identify you when you log in in future.
Digital entertainment catalogues – have you ever wondered how after listening to a few songs in online streaming services, you get suggestions that match your preference? Or after watching some few movies in Netflix you get a new row of movies you might like? it’s all because of the metadata sometimes scrapped from items you had selected earlier.
Normalmente, todo lo que utilizamos digitalmente tiene metadatos, desde la música a los correos electrónicos o incluso las llamadas telefónicas.
Metadatos y privacidad
As much as metadata is useful, it’s also a threat to your privacy. As seen above, most metadata contain our personal information such as what third-parties request off social media sites. Also, cookies and other trackers are constantly collecting metadata and sending them to data-hungry startups which in turn have neatly compiled our preferences and browsing behaviours. This metadata becomes harmful when it is sold to other third parties, that’s when privacy risks and threats arise. Below are some entities that can compromise our privacy by having access to our metadata;
Ciberdelincuentes
cybercriminals can have access to our metadata from a third-party organization and even from cookies and trackers. With this metadata, they can propagate further attacks such as blackmail, vishing, and smishing attacks and to some extent identity fraud.
Instituciones y organismos públicos
Intelligence agencies may gather metadata from ISPs and other organization which they then use to monitor an individual.
Vendedores
Most organizations use ads as their main source of income. This can be done directly and indirectly. For instance, you might have noticed you are getting a lot of ads on your social media sites. Most of the ads are not social media related but they are about a product and chances are 80% you might be interested in the product. All this is possible via metadata. For instance, your Facebook interest and likes can be used to suggests pages and target you with ads.
Cómo mantenerse seguro, utilice una VPN
Dado que los metadatos dirigen el mundo digital, es difícil evitar compartir tu información y puede que incluso estés generando más metadatos ahora mismo. Lo único que puedes hacer es minimizar los riesgos y eso es posible utilizando una VPN.
