IELTS Writing Task 2 Exercises: Privacy Concerns in the Digital Age

Privacy Concerns in the Digital Age

Useful Vocabulary and Phrases

• data breach (n) – unauthorized access to private data
• personal information (n) – details about an individual, such as name, address, etc.
• surveillance (n) – close monitoring of people or data
• cybersecurity (n) – protection of internet-connected systems and data
• encryption (n) – process of encoding data to prevent unauthorized access
• data collection (n) – gathering information from users
• identity theft (n) – stealing someone’s personal information to commit fraud
• privacy policy (n) – rules that explain how data is collected and used
• digital footprint (n) – trail of data left by users online
• data protection (n) – measures to safeguard personal data

Exercises:

Task 1: Write sentences from given cues. Make changes to the cues when needed.

Companies / collect / personal information / without / consent.

Data breaches / cause / identity theft / and / financial loss.

Encryption / important / protect / data / from hackers.

Users / need / understand / privacy policy / before / sharing / information.

Task 2: Vocabulary list for fill in the blanks

data breach | personal information | surveillance | cybersecurity | encryption | data collection | identity theft | privacy policy | digital footprint | data protection

Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the list above.

In the digital age, concerns about (1) ____________ have increased dramatically. Many companies engage in (2) ____________ without fully informing users, putting their (3) ____________ at risk. Cybercriminals often exploit (4) ____________ to commit (5) ____________, leading to serious financial and emotional consequences.

To counter these threats, robust (6) ____________ measures such as (7) ____________ are essential to safeguard data. Users should be aware of the (8) ____________ of websites and apps to understand how their data is handled. Additionally, constant (9) ____________ raises ethical questions about personal freedom and privacy. Protecting one’s (10) ____________ is vital in maintaining trust in the digital world.

Answer Sheet

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Task 1:

1. Companies collect personal information without consent.
2. Data breaches cause identity theft and financial loss.
3. Encryption is important to protect data from hackers.
4. Users need to understand privacy policies before sharing information.

Task 2:

1. privacy concerns
2. data collection
3. personal information
4. data breaches
5. identity theft
6. cybersecurity
7. encryption
8. privacy policy
9. surveillance
10. digital footprint