Formula 1 driver, Fernando Alonso, provided insight into his digital life at a recent global press conference with Eugene Kaspersky, CEO and co-founder of IT security vendor Kaspersky Lab.

The event, which took place in New York on the 20th November, brought together two giants in their respective fields, offering a glimpse of the various ways cutting-edge technology enhances their personal lives. Both Kaspersky and Alonso, shared their experiences of how gadgets, the Internet and social networking have affected them.

During the discussion, Alonso admitted that there is not a day in his life when he’s not online. Alonso suggested that he manages personal social network accounts by himself, commenting: “I use Twitter myself, even though I have people who could help me. Maybe sometimes I’m not as polite as I could be, but it’s the real me.”

Alonso also touched on online security, commenting: “New technologies and social media these days are really helpful for us. We’re now connected to the Internet 24/7, so we need to stay safe there - to be protected.”

Eugene Kaspersky, CEO and Co-founder of Kaspersky Lab added:“You need to ensure you’re very well protected - not just by using products and technologies but by using your head too. And you need to be on the alert all the time, and to trust no one! You need to secure your digital life. Especially if you’re like me and Fernando: meeting lots of people and travelling a lot.”

With so much of Eugene’s life in the digital sphere, he also admitted to making himself take virtual vacations from time to time, deliberately avoiding the Internet and gadgets. He suggested that he is more protected online than the average Internet user because he is acutely aware of all the dangers, adding: “Being in this business so long has made me paranoid.”

The dialogue came at the start of the global ‘Safeguarding Me’ advertising campaign, created by Kaspersky Lab and supported by Fernando Alonso in his role as the campaign ambassador.

The campaign emphasises just how vital our digital life has become in today’s world. Laptops, tablets, smartphones - we all store valuable personal data on these gadgets, and carry them with us wherever we go. The information on these devices is a huge part of who we are, which is why it’s so important to protect it. This is what the new edition of Kaspersky Lab’s bestselling product, Kaspersky Internet Security, is all about.

In a promo video specially created for the Safeguarding Me campaign, Fernando talks through some of his most treasured possessions, with his laptop, and the personal information it stores, being the key item. The video has been translated into 12 languages and will be shown in 80+ countries starting November 20.

The full campaign video can be found here.

Further information (external website)