Privately Offers Users Control Over Social Media Sharing

Kudelski, a Swiss security firm, launched a new application for iOS and Android users called Privately, which is geared towards helping users keep control of their digital content.

The application is used in conjunction with popular social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Instead of directly uploading images to these websites, the images are instead stored by the application in an alternate location, and then shared on the websites. This is similar to how a video might be uploaded to YouTube, or a photo uploaded to PhotoBucket, and then shared elsewhere.

Although this might seem like unnecessary extra steps for something you plan to share, it will give you added control and security when you want it. Like many other social media services, you can define who can view your content, and where. In addition, the application lets you dictate how long an image can be viewed before it is removed, giving you more control.

The service works with more than just pictures. Users also have the ability to dictate how long posts can be viewed before they are deleted, and videos are also supported in the same way. All levels of the application and service are encrypted to guarantee that important information is not stolen.

Although the application is currently available for free on both Android and iOS, it is not a product solely for end users. It's intended for wider use by companies internally as an added security feature, and by telecommunications companies who can use the service to provide end users with added security.

After the cyber attacks against Sony, Edward Snowden releasing NSA secrets online, and other Internet security alerts in the media, people have become increasingly concerned about the safety of their information.

This application aims to help users keep their content more secure by limiting how long it is exposed to the open Internet. In doing so, users can worry less about someone using their content for purposes they don't approve of.

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Michael Justin Allen Sexton is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware US. He covers hardware component news, specializing in CPUs and motherboards.