Privacy and security in Skype How to configure your account to make it more secure and private? step by step guide

Digital platforms represent an access route for hackers or malicious individuals with advanced computer skills. Consequently, it is necessary that users become aware of the risks and give importance to the privacy and security settings.

In the case of Skype, has a series of measures designed to provide the greatest possible protection to people. Therefore, during this post we will talk to you in depth about Privacy and security in Skype How to configure your account to make it more secure and private? Through a step-by-step guide.

Added to that, you will know what are the main security risks to which you are exposed, what the Skype privacy section consists of, as well as a series of tips to make your account impenetrable by attackers.

What are the main privacy and security risks in Skype? Reasons to be cautious

When you use digital platforms you are exposed to endless problems that, if you do not take the necessary measures, can cost you the appropriation of personal data. Therefore, the first step to be encouraged to take security measures into account is to keep in mind what are the main privacy and security risks.

First of all, it should be mentioned that Skype has personal information available to you such as your phone number, email, etc. If you are not careful about its use, you can give access to malicious third parties to steal that type of data. With them they can impersonate you to commit illicit acts or even steal money from you if possible.

In addition, your location is also often shared, so if the wrong person knows it, it could give you an unpleasant time. Hence the importance of respect safety rules and follow them at face value, as it is one of the best ways to prevent the disclosure of personal information. Remember that Skype is a communication network, so images, chats or private items can be stored there.

Privacy on Skype What is this platform policy like and how do you handle my personal data?

Microsoft is committed to its users around the worldfor what they give priority to your privacy, especially when they use communication platforms like Skype. Starting from that principle, ensure that you get value alternatives regarding how and why your data is collected and used. In addition, they are responsible for ensuring that you have the information you need so that you can make the right decisions for you, through their products and services.

In this sense, they have six key principles regarding privacy:

• Control: They offer easy-to-use tools with clear options, so you’re in control of your privacy.
• Transparency: They are clear about data collection and how it is used, so that you can make informed decisions at all times.
• Security: They provide the maximum protection of the data entrusted to them, through effective encryption and security measures.
• Without content-based identification: they do not use email, chat, files, or other personal content to send you ads.
• Strong legal protection: they respect local privacy laws, as well as defending them as a fundamental human right.
• Benefits you get: once they have your data in hand, they will be used to benefit your experience.

As you could see, at all times the user is made clear that their data will be used for their experience within Skype. However, at this point you may be wondering What type of data does Microsoft collect?

Here is some information regarding the main categories of information that is collected:

Online searches and web browsing

As with many search engines, Microsoft use your search history and the addition of other people, with the intention of offering you better search results. Microsoft may collect this type of data to increase the speed of web browsing, because they predict where you want to go. It should be noted that you can select if you agree with the collection of your history through Diagnostics and feedback, within the Windows privacy settings.

places you visit

Using location information, you are provided with suggested directions to places that might interest you. Besides, to that is added relevant information regarding where you are. The mechanism with which they manage to obtain this data is from the locations you provide or if they detected technologies such as GPS or IP addresses.

An important fact to highlight in this section is that With the help and use of your location, the Microsoft team can protect you. For example, if you normally log in from Spain and a login is detected elsewhere, you will receive an alert about it. That functionality can be turn it on or off in Settings/ Privacy/ Location.

Data to serve you in a personalized way

This section is based on offer you a personalized service with which you can help avoid traffic, remember anniversaries, birthdays, etc.. To achieve this, you must show what interests you, give access to what you have on the calendar, etc.

Data to show you ads that really interest you

There are some services microsoft financed through advertising. To show you ads that are on par with what interests youit is necessary that personal data such as your location, your recent searches, demographic information, things you have marked as favorites, etc. are used.

It must be clarified that what you can say is not used in emails, video calls, chats, voice mail, documents, photos or any other type of file staff to throw ads at you. Everything is based on your searches or activities carried out on your computers.

Login and payment details

Lastly, talk about login and payment details. When you sign in with your own account, microsoft allows you to use online services such as storage and family settings. Besides, it helps you to have the configuration synchronized with your devices. In this way, you can have a simpler way of suggestions for applications, movies, games, subscriptions or any other type of service that goes hand in hand with what interests you.

Learn step by step how to configure the privacy of your Skype account to make it much more secure in every way

There are a number of steps you can take within Skype, for ensure the privacy of your account at all times. If you apply each of them, you reduce the chances of suffering some kind of vulnerability.

Let’s see below:

strong passwords

It is paramount that use a strong password to login inside the platform. Remember that hackers take advantage of the most vulnerable or common passwords to access accounts. Consequently, you must set a unique and strong password.

Some tips are:

• Use a combination of letters, characters and numbers. Including punctuation marks, symbols, and other unusual characters can help increase the security of your account.
• Avoid the use of names, dictionary words, dates of birth and other personal data.
• try that the extension is longbecause the longer it is, the level of complexity increases.
• Change your password regularly.

Protect your equipment

The virus can compromise the security of not only your Skype account, but also the well-being of your team.

Therefore, there are a series of recommendations that you can consider to avoid it:

• don’t open files message attachments from unknown sites.
• uses at all times a antivirus program to analyze all the files shared with you by other users.
• Use a personal firewall.
• Check in the settings of your team that is enabled the function of periodically receiving the latest security updates.

Keep Skype up to date

When it comes to mechanisms that help maintain your account Skype safe, can’t be ignored have the app updated, that is, with its latest version. This is because the platform constantly performs enhancements to strengthen quality, safety and reliability. Consequently, it is best to make sure you have it up to date. It is very simple and the process is practically the same on all devices.

Configure the Privacy section

In section Privacy from Skype, you can control who and how they communicate with you on the platform. Through this section, you configure the type of personal information that is shared with other users, check who you have blocked, etc.

Profile

Control what is shown on your profile is paramount to keeping your account secure. From this section, you can set what everyone can see and what only your contacts can see. Specifically, we indicate the configurations that are executed from here.

What does everyone see?

• Name of user.
• Name to show on Skype.
• City, state or province, and country.
• Image Profile.

What do your contacts see?

• Condition of presence.
• Number phone number (if you included it in your profile).
• Date of birth (if you included it in your profile).

We teach you how to improve the privacy of your Skype account to better protect your personal data

The protection of your data and personal information is vital, to avoid future problems. For this reason, we want to share with you a series of Tips to help you improve the privacy of your Skype account.

Take note:

Hide profile picture to people who are not in your contacts

• Click on your image Profile.
• enter in Setting.
• Press in account and profile.
• Select Profile Picture.
• choose the option of Choose who can see your profile picture. Next, select Public either Only contacts.

delete contacts

• Click on your image Profile.
• Go into Setting.
• Go to contacts.
• press on Privacy and then in See list.
• within the list of profile visibilitynext to the person you choose, tap Plus.
• Lastly, tap on Delete contact.

block contacts

• Go to the chat tab or contacts, and right-click right mouse button. You can also press and hold on the contact.
• select in View profile.
• Scroll to the bottom of the profile window and click Block contact. In the desktop version, you can select the Edit button and then press on Block contact.
• inside the window Do you want to block this contact? you may block that user or report abuse.
• After being blocked will be removed from your chats and contact list.

Hide mobile number

• Log in in Skype.
• Go to the section Manage features.
• click on caller id.
• Choose Disable Caller ID.