When love is a bed of roses, it’s built on trust and vulnerability. We share everything—our secrets, our dreams, and sometimes, intimate photos or videos. It’s the unspoken promise of, “What’s mine is YOURS.”

But what happens when the roses wilt, and love turns into hate? When relationships sour and bitterness takes the driver’s seat, trust can become a dangerous weapon.

This is the grim reality of data privacy violations in the aftermath of breakups. Some jilted lovers go to extremes, turning shared moments into ammunition for revenge.

One true story stands out: a couple who once shared everything. Their Netflix, Spotify, and Grab accounts were all linked to one credit card—the girlfriend’s. But when she ended the relationship, her ex sought revenge, ordering thousands of dollars’ worth of GrabFood deliveries to her doorstep, all on her dime.

As if financial abuse wasn’t enough, he took things further—threatening to release intimate photos, creating fabricated deepfake videos to haunt her, and even stalking her movements via WhatsApp Desktop. The chilling part? She’d forgotten to log out of her session on his laptop.

These stories aren’t rare—they’re warnings about the fragility of trust in the digital age.

How to Protect Yourself:

1. End Shared Accounts: As soon as a relationship ends, cancel any shared accounts and subscriptions.
2. Log Out of All Devices: Use features like “Log out of all devices” on platforms like WhatsApp, Netflix, and others.
3. Change Your Passwords: Update your passwords on every platform and enable two-factor authentication.
4. Secure Your Data: Safeguard intimate photos and sensitive files—better yet, avoid sharing them digitally in the first place.
5. Perform a Digital Detox: Take time to clean up your online presence, block malicious access, and regain control of your digital life.