This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of 3M. All opinions are 100% mine.
Earlier this year I wrote about what visual hacking is and how to stop it. 3M™ sent me one of their Privacy Filters and Screen Protectors for my MacBook Pro to test out. The idea is simple: stop wandering eyes from getting your sensitive and confidential information displayed on your smartphone, tablet, laptop and desktop screens.
As you can see from the image above, the 3M™ Privacy Filter effortlessly blocks anyone trying to get a glimpse at my screen. The only thing prying eyes will see is a black or gold screen.
Learn More About 3M Privacy Products
Over the last few years, the concern for visual privacy has reached an all-time high. It’s bad enough our Internet activity is being monitored digitally, but by our coffee shop neighbor? This is why 3M™ created their Privacy Filters and Screen Protectors. Having your office mobile – much like owning a blog like mine – keeps you vulnerable to Visual Hackers.
Confession
I have a serious confession to make: I’ve been a Visual Hacker before. You read that right. I’ve played the role as the dreaded Visual Hacker, the exact thief I’m trying to keep my distance from. But it isn’t what you think. I’ve done it by complete accident. Sometimes you don’t even realize you’re doing it until it’s already done. From seeing my girlfriend’s password to the stranger’s ATM PIN he punched in in front of me.
The reason I’m admitting to this is to show you how serious of a matter this can be. If I myself have done a bit of visual hacking without even meaning to, how easy do you think it is for someone who is out to get your sensitive data? I would say pretty dang easy.
Where Visual Hacking is Most Common
When it comes down to it Visual Hacking is everywhere. More than half of the people surveyed said their visual privacy was violated: 69% in the workplace, 55% while traveling; 51% in public areas. (“The Visual Privacy Productivity Study.” Ponemon Institute, October 2012.)
Since I don’t work in a traditional office environment anymore, it’s hard for me to say for sure how much hacking actually goes on in one. It of course isn’t hard to imagine. Visual Hacking is most common in your local coffee shop. The next time you’re waiting in line for coffee, do a quick search around the room for people with wandering eyes. They aren’t hard to find.
To put my 3M™ Privacy Filter to the test I decided to leave my computer open on a Word Document I was currently working on. I stepped away and sat at another chair while people walked by my computer and started glancing at it. What was funny was how hard people were trying to read what it said on the screen. It wasn’t easy, because with 3M™ Privacy Filters, you have to be looking directly at it to properly get a clear view of the screen.
If you’re ready to take the next step in protecting your privacy, request a sample of one of 3M™ Privacy Filters and learn more about Visual Hacking. And please feel free to share your visual hacking stories in the comments below. Especially if you visual hacked by accident like I have.
