Technology plays a very important role in the world nowadays. We depend on it for nearly every one of our daily activities – from getting up in the mornings with digital alarms to running business operations via cloud solutions. Hence, it is no surprise to find that humans have spread a good number of rumors about various technological gadgets and innovations. For instance, while it is a common belief that businesses suffer from financial cyberattacks more than individuals, a Statista study highlights that 61% of users targeted with financial malware were individuals, rather than businesses. By debunking these persistent tech myths, we will be able to separate fact from fiction and ensure that our understanding aligns with reality. This way, your team can enhance their understanding and make informed decisions. This article highlights a few common tech myths your team may still believe concerning technological gadgets and innovations.
5 Common Tech Myths You Need To Know the Real Truth About
Here are some tech myths you need to stop believing in because they are not true:
1. Hackers do not target individuals
People ask: Why would any hacker look to hack individuals rather than businesses and celebrities? Here is why. Contrary to popular belief, hackers do target individuals. While high-profile breaches and attacks on large organizations often make headlines, individuals are not immune to hacking attempts. Anyone can be a target, whether or not they are affiliated with any brand, company, or business. Hackers make grand plans to attack businesses and firms, and teams are easy targets simply because they are employees of that business. When hackers look to gain access to a business or government website or network, it is done through hacking one of your team’s accounts. Also, because a single person is in charge of the business funds and has access to credit card information, the hacker can launch a small-scale attack against the individual or team called a fatigue attack in a bid to gather as much data as possible to sell on the dark web. There are so many reasons cybercriminals target individuals, including identity theft, personal information exploitation, and financial gain. To stay safe and secure, always ensure all your accounts for every platform you use have different login details. This way, when a hacker gets hold of one of your accounts, they cannot log in to any other. Using passwordless systems, password managers, and multifactor authentication are good ways to maintain strong security practices.
2. iPhones and Macs cannot be hacked
The hold Apple has on the gadget market at the moment is quite unlike any other company. Although there seem to be more Windows users, it is simply because Windows and Android systems and devices are more malleable and workable with apps and settings (all thanks to Apple’s walled-garden or closed systems). Nevertheless, the fact that Apple systems are impenetrable is not true; it’s only because it rarely happens that people believe otherwise. It is undeniable that Apple gadgets are less prone to being attacked successfully with malware. However, they are not invincible to them, as the 2021 IOMobileFrameBuffer quite shows. Apple devices have faced security vulnerabilities and malware attacks in the past. This is why you should look to update your iOS or macOS as soon as you receive the notification for new security patches. Avoid purchasing jailbroken Apple devices, unless you are tech-savvy enough to handle yourself with them. Also, use strong passwords, and exercise caution when downloading apps or clicking on suspicious links.
3. It is better to let your mobile device get to 0% before charging it
Another common tech myth you should discard is that mobile devices should be allowed to run down completely before charging them. If it was in the past, this is what would have been accepted, but in today’s technological world, it is untrue. Constantly allowing your device to get run down to the minimum before plugging it in does not help its battery. Mobile devices use lithium-ion batteries, which begin to decay right from the day you put them on for the very first time. This leads to your phone holding less power as the years run by. Every time your phone dies and has to be powered up by charging, the battery loses charge-holding or battery power. Therefore, the best way to care for your battery is to maintain its battery charge between 80% and 20%, which is the recommended charge range. In other words, avoid going below 20%, and you can discontinue charging after 80% if you have to. Also, avoiding frequent full discharges can help prolong its overall lifespan.
4. The World Wide Web is another word for the Internet
This is a common tech myth many people have come to believe and still believe. It is important to note that the “Internet” and “World Wide Web (WWW)” are two different words that are often used interchangeably but don’t mean the same thing. The World Wide Web is a conglomerate of data, which you access through an internet connection. It is specifically the collection of websites and web pages accessible through the Internet. While the Internet itself is simply a mammoth global network divided into smaller networks, consisting of computers, mobile devices, and tablets. It encompasses a broader range of services, including email, file sharing, online gaming, and more Everything you need, from shopping websites to social media platforms, is all on the World Wide Web, and you access it only through the Internet.
5. Charging your phone for long hours damages its battery
This is one of the most common tech myths people still believe to this day. However, it is important to note that devices such as smartphones, laptops, and devices made in recent times come with advanced battery management features. The concept is to eliminate, to a large degree, the effects of overcharging. No matter how long you charge your laptop or smartphone, the device disconnects the charging and routes the power directly to the laptop once the battery charges to maximum capacity. This way, you can plug in your device for long hours with the assurance that your battery is fully charged before you have to use the device without it being plugged in.
Bonus Common Tech Myth: Permanent file deletion
Many people believe that deleting a file from their computer or device means it is permanently erased. If you think you delete your files permanently when you hit the Shift + Delete combo on your Windows laptop, or any other device, then you have missed the whole point of file storage. All you did when you deleted was erase the marker address for the deleted file. With the right tools, a tech-savvy user can recover every file you have supposedly deleted from any of your devices. To ensure permanent file deletion, use specialized software or methods that overwrite the file’s data multiple times, making it much harder or nearly impossible to recover.
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