Big numbers and new services
Although it is way behind other multibillion dollar deals, like WhatsApp’s acquisition by Facebook for $19 billion, Yahoo and Verizon made financial history for striking a deal that many thought would be ditched after the colossal Yahoo data breach. Nonetheless, both companies’ CEOs cherished the deal, with Verizon stating that the acquisition provides a favorable outcome for shareholders. On the other hand, Yahoo’s CEO said that the two companies will move forward with confidence and certainty, meaning that new services might be on the horizon, such as the ones towards better mobile support.
From a privacy point of view, the companies agreed that they will be splitting the responsibilities regarding the data breaches. However, it was recently revealed that Verizon will “only” acquire Yahoo’s email service, website, blogs and search engine – the parts of Yahoo that are visible to everyday users. Besides the fact that the company is planning to split in two after the purchase, no further details are known.
Is this the end of Yahoo?
Since these deals are made of progresses, returns and many details that the general public will never fully understand, we wouldn’t put our money on the survival of Yahoo. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t care about any new developments though, especially if you’re a Yahoo user, because there will still probably be much personal information issues and risks when data are migrated.
Having said this, the best way for you to be safe, and not only when accessing your Yahoo account, but any other website too, is to provide the least personal details possible and, of course, to use a VPN. By using a VPN, you protect your login sessions with heavy encryptions. Furthermore, if you happen to be using such a service when accessing vulnerable (free) Wi-Fi networks, you can prevent any eavesdroppers from directly snooping on you.
Leo S.
Sander D.
