When we talk about vibe coding, we’re referring to a different way of programming. It’s no longer about typing line by line until everything compiles, but about telling an AI what you want — in text or even by voice — so it can generate the code. You provide the intent; the AI builds the skeleton; you refine it through testing, corrections, and tweaks. It’s rapid prototyping, experimenting, letting go of technical grind to focus on results.

This model opens doors. Apps, small websites, online stores, or blogs can be built more easily, in less time, and with fewer barriers. For small entrepreneurs or people who want to grow independently, it’s like bolting a turbo engine onto their ideas: a shortcut through complex code, less friction, greater accessibility.

But not everything that glitters is solid.

What many venture capital investors and business owners don’t yet see — or prefer not to — is the quiet cost emerging in this digital age. That price appears when the code behind these “express” apps or services lacks basic defenses: no security audits, minimal testing, and no vulnerability reviews.

The consequences:

• Anyone with a bit of knowledge — malicious or just curious — can read, manipulate, or exploit the app’s data.

• What seems like a competitive edge today can become an open door to cyberattacks.

• Passwords, client data, emails, or payment methods face an increasing chance of exposure.

Paradoxically, the same system that fuels online business creation can also weaken its structure, creating fertile ground for digital crime.

Imagine a neighborhood shop with a tight budget hiring a developer whose motto is, “Just make it work; we’ll look later.” That app handles purchases, expenses, income, passwords, customer records, emails, payment data…

If there’s no funding or awareness to define who has access, how data is stored, or whether it’s encrypted, you’ve planted a digital time bomb. A major vulnerability. Not because sabotage is inevitable, but because negligence is exactly what attackers exploit.

• Sensitive photos, banking data, customer info: all sitting there.

• A basic app might streamline operations, but it also makes them easier to exploit.

Here’s the uncomfortable part: many business owners are trapped in the illusion that AI is an instant solution. “Fewer developers + prompts + GPT” feels like enough. Technical details? They’ll sort themselves out later. Visuals, immediacy, function — that’s what seems to matter.

The deeper problem is a mindset: cut costs now, patch later. But the structures — that dazzling “Burj Khalifa” — are made of paper inside. Stunning from afar, unstable underneath. One strong gust can bring it down.

Developers share responsibility, and business owners need to demand more: not just surface appeal, but assurance that the surface won’t collapse under pressure. Many of these developers are ChatGPT babys — people who rely entirely on prompts and a subscription, without professional backing or serious review.

Here’s where knowledge turns into action — and where precision matters:

1. Local and international regulations
   Check the laws in your city, state, or country. The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), for example, protects what it calls sensitive personal data (health, ethnicity, political opinions, etc.). Handling that information requires explicit consent and special safeguards. For minors, parental permission is often needed. The GDPR also enshrines a principle of data minimization: services should collect only what’s strictly necessary for their purpose. There isn’t an outright ban on asking for data in small transactions, but there are clear limits — information without a valid purpose shouldn’t be collected.

2. Data minimization
   Ask only for what’s essential. If you don’t need a full name, don’t request it. If an address isn’t key, leave it out.

3. Alternative safeguards for users

   • Use prepaid cards instead of personal ones for minor online purchases.

   • Create email aliases for small stores or apps you don’t fully trust.

   • Avoid giving out sensitive data or your true identity unless it’s absolutely necessary.

4. Smart digital habits

   • Don’t share personal data on unnecessary pages.

   • Reject intrusive cookies or ones you don’t understand.

   • Be wary of suspicious links.

   • Never download files from unverified sources.

These habits don’t make you invincible, but they dramatically shift the odds in your favor.

Vibe coding has enormous creative potential: it democratizes software, speeds up projects, and turns ideas into tools without demanding deep technical knowledge. But every shortcut has its shadow. If lightness becomes the norm, we risk building an ecosystem of fragile, exposed products.

The goal isn’t to stop progress — it’s to move forward with eyes open: demand transparency from developers, teach users, help investors understand the stakes. The conversation shouldn’t stop at what dazzles. Users need to evolve from passive consumers into aware digital citizens.

If business leaders grasp the risks, users learn to protect themselves, and developers own their responsibility, vibe coding won’t just be a passing trend. It will be a solid base for meaningful, secure products — even in on-chain and decentralized spaces — rather than a flimsy façade waiting to break.