Smartphones and other devices are so essential in the lives of people today that, like it’s said, it just feels like you’re naked without it. Even more important are the apps we’ve installed in them, which, essentially, does everything for us as we go through the day.

Of course, unless you’re using a Jurassic-age mobile, you’ll know that apps request permission from you to allow access to certain sectors of your smartphone, with camera, contacts and location being among the most common ones. Disagree to all or any of that and it’s either you won’t get the app’s full experience or you don’t get to use it at all.

The problem is, practically every app requests access to some areas that don’t seem necessary. Seriously, why would an app require access to the flashlight or ask to prevent your device from sleeping?

Trust and privacy is a hot topic right now, thanks to a stunning incident that just happened.

Cambridge Analytica harvested data from 50 million Facebook profiles in a major breach. Apparent whistleblower Christopher Wylie says he’s being used as a ‘scapegoat’. Facebook says it is ‘outraged’ that it was ‘deceived’. Mark Zuckerberg said he’s ‘really sorry that this happened’. All of us are stunned. Welcome to the wild, wild world of cyber-space, where ‘behind the scenes’ is also ‘what the hell is really going on here?’

Arguably, when people start using an app for the first time, they just go ahead and ‘allow’ these permission requests with gusto, but this could only be because – like in my case – they only settle for apps that are what they need and they know have a huge following; you just don’t go ahead, downloading and installing anything unless you really need it.

While we are at that, in October 5th, 2015, Mark Zuckerberg took to Facebook to announce his first project on internet delivery from space to Africa – the famous AMOS-6. It came in partnership with Eutelsat to connect millions of disadvantaged internet enthusiast across Africa. This was a response to beam internet access down into communities from the sky, to connect people living in remote regions and AMOS-6 was a deliberate, intelligent and first technology to give relief to the underserved in Africa. AMOS-6 was to be launched in 2016 into a geostationary orbit that will cover large parts of the West, East and Southern Africa.

Unfortunately, AMOS-6 suffered a huge setback prior to its launch and had since been replaced with AsiaSat-8. However, the intention isn’t about the possibilities of it coming to light eventually but how much trust can be given to Mark considering the recent data breach.

How much of our data would be scooped without consent and who will be the next “buyer?” This is particularly not about Mark and Facebook, it is about the future of data security. This has gone on to reveal the dark side of the internet (which we already know anyway). The incessant white papers and promise is becoming boring. It has gone to reveal the possibilities with Facebook technologies and interests in developing nations. While the intention is good, the basic instinct would, going forward, how safe am I with Facebook technologies?