The hidden side of asking for a beer in your favorite places
Social networks and leisure applications not only serve to share good times or recommendations, they have also become open windows that may not want everyone to know. Privacy on these platforms remains a hot topic, and there is still a lot to discover, even for those who take their digital profiles very seriously.
An app that seems innocent but it is not so much
Recently, a journalistic investigation revealed that a popular application for beer lovers, used to register and recommend different breweries and styles, stores data that go far beyond simple taste preference. This app, which has more than 8 million active users worldwide, can be a gold mine for those who seek to understand what they do, where they are and who their users are, including high profile figures.
What really does UntAppd reveal about its users?
A deep analysis carried out by experts in OSINT (intelligence in open sources) demonstrated how a seemingly harmless platform can become a espionage tool. The key is in the geolocation records and the many images and comments that users upload without thinking too much about the consequences. An example of this are military, officials and intelligence officers who, by carelessness, have released crucial clues.
From the fun to dangerous: how a couple of beers can betray you
One of the most shocking revelations was to discover how people in strategic positions in different countries have recorded their presence in sensitive places, such as military bases or military operations centers, simply by registering an leisure moment in this app. Some examples include Navy officers, Army military and intelligence personnel, many of whom have shown details that facilitate their real movements.
Beyond geography: the information that can also escape
But not only the literal location is the problem. Users can also leave profiles with full names, photos, and in some cases, sensitive data such as credit card numbers or personal notes hidden in the images. The ease with which these pieces of information are combined and crossed with other sources makes a person’s digital profile can build a much more revealing story than one imagines, even in the photos where they only show the beer or the bar table.
What can we learn from all this?
Sometimes, some beers and photos in a bar seem innocent, but the reality is that all our activity online leaves traces that, if they are not managed cautiously, can open doors to those who want to collect delicate information. The key is to configure the profiles well, be aware of what we share and understand that, in an increasingly digital world, privacy is more fragile than it seems.
Perhaps the future teaches us to be more prudent, or perhaps to have fun still without leaving so many signs. The truth is that a good beer can be more vigilated than we imagine, and learning to navigate that panorama will surely be one of the new challenges in the digital age.
