As India and the world progresses in the digital era, everything is connected. From banking to social media and even our food orders, everything has taken a digital course - now more than ever. Despite the fast-paced digital transformation, consumers who go online are aware of the risks and the need to protect their personal information. Samsung is going a long way in this regard as it helps its users to protect themselves while online.

Samsung's latest update to the OneUI 5 comes with upgraded Security and Privacy Dashboard on Galaxy devices to make data safety even easier to manage.

Samsung
SamsungIANS

"Security and personal information protection menus have been merged, giving users a view of information that may be at risk. In one convenient place, the Dashboard can show the safety status of security items, let users quickly change settings and help them manage risks more seamlessly. The items that can make the biggest impact on digital safety — including Lock Screen, Accounts, SmartThings Find, App Safety, and Updates — are now instantly accessible at the top of the dashboard, and intuitive red, yellow, or green alerts show issues at a glance and provide clear indicators if there are security issues. The upgraded hub includes instant action prompts, such as permissions, that make data decisions more transparent," Samsung said in a statement.

It is important to be aware of the permissions granted to apps on your phone. Samsung shares four important tips to help users protect their personal information.

Manage Ads: Online shopping has become a sacred part of everyone's lives. For avid shoppers who prefer to not be inundated by targeted advertisements, follow these steps:

Go to Security and Privacy Dashboard > click the Privacy tab > go to the Ads menu > select "Delete AD ID."

With this, users can avoid unwanted recommendations as they continue shopping in and using their favourite apps.

Control Microphone and Camera Permissions: Galaxy users can choose exactly how much of their data can be accessed by a specific app. Users may require different app permissions depending on the situation. Follow these steps below:

Go to Security and Privacy Dashboard > Privacy menu > revoke microphone access when an app isn't in use or opt for no microphone access at all.

Follow the same steps for camera. Go to Security and Privacy Dashboard > Privacy menu > revoke camera access when an app isn't in use or opt for no microphone access at all.

Manage Location-based Services Easily: Location is one of the biggest data points users want control. As countless apps continue to keep tabs on users' whereabouts, the Privacy menu within the Security and Privacy Dashboard lets people see what apps have tracked their location in the past 24 hours.

Keep Your App Preferences Up to Date: Many apps are downloaded for specific occasions and then left installed and unused for long periods of time. These apps might continue tracking their data and activity months after installing them, whether or not they are in use. To prevent apps from accessing more data than necessary, Galaxy devices will proactively protect users' privacy by removing permissions from apps that haven't been used in a while. Users can reinstate the permissions from the Security and Privacy Dashboard any time.