Wanted: More Vigilance on Data Security

[Commentary] I'm hoping that the rash of high-profile security incidents we've seen over the past few months will spark renewed interest in the security sector, prompting new money and entrepreneurial energy to pour into the business of protecting our data.

We'll never get perfect security; data, like money, will always be vulnerable to theft. At the moment, though, there is an innovation gap in security, with our ability to collect data far outstripping our ability to protect it. That balance needs to be restored. All tech companies need to be forced into taking security more seriously. That's why, in Snapchat's case, I propose a temporary boycott: If you use the app regularly and you consider your privacy important, you should take a break for a short while. Only if the company sees that its users are serious about security will it adopt a new attitude toward your data. If you don't do this -- if you keep using Snapchat despite the company's obvious shortcomings -- you're part of the problem.