Silent trail: Every click, swipe or scan creates a map of your habits

Privacy and cybersecurity experts say modern surveillance no longer relies solely on physical observation or traditional wiretapping. [Courtesy]

Every mobile money transaction, SIM card registration, CCTV recording, supermarket loyalty card swipe, biometric scan, and public WiFi login leaves behind a trail of data.

These fragments may seem trivial; however, privacy experts caution that when combined, they can paint an unusually detailed portrait of a person’s life. From where they go, whom they communicate with, what they purchase, search online and generally the routines they follow on a daily.