Surfshark’s Naked People campaign calls out top social media companies for privacy invasions

Cybersecurity company Surfshark’s Naked People campaign in London raised awareness about social media security practices and the exploitation of user data (Image supplied)

Instead of clothes, the individuals wore signs that read “Don’t strip users of their privacy” and “Don’t leave your users naked”.

The campaigners visited several busy areas across London, including the offices of major tech companies, to amplify their message.

Surfshark’s objective with the campaign is to safeguard individuals' online identities and empower them to regain control of their personal information.

Data protection a pressing concern

“An analysis of GDPR fines shows that the Media, Telecommunications, and Broadcasting sector is the most heavily fined overall.

"Notably, the top social media companies, which are the largest data collectors, have also received the highest fines,” says Goda Sukackaite, privacy counsel at Surfshark.

Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was expected to change invasive data collection practices with strict regulation and high fines.

However, the huge increase in fines given to top social media platforms for GDPR violations shows that user data protection is still a pressing concern.

“Such penalties demonstrate the imperative to hold major social media players accountable for their data handling practices, ensuring that the privacy and safety of all users is given the utmost consideration and care.”

The campaign highlighted these alarming statistics, and sparked critical conversations around privacy, challenging the current norms in the tech industry.