Today is International Data Privacy Day, a day for raising awareness and sharing best practices for protecting and managing your online data in your personal and professional life.
Created as European Data Protection Day by the Council of Europe in 2007, International Data Privacy Day has expanded to include the United States and Canada.
Organizations worldwide are holding events, discussions, and webinars to share knowledge on how consumers and businesses can protect themselves against hackers, viruses, and companies accessing their personal data.
As more people store their personal and sensitive information online, news of security breaches and the public release of private information becomes more troubling.
Bruce Schneier, Chief Technology Officer of Co3 Systems, and author of soon-to-be-released book Data and Goliath: The Hidden Battles to Collect Your Data and Control Your World commented:
Our privacy will continue to erode unless we recognize that we have both a political and a marketplace choice to make, and that only deliberately choosing privacy will ensure that we have privacy.
What Individuals and Businesses Can Do To Protect Data
Ultimately, it’s up to you as an individual and business to protect your privacy and safeguard your online data. Whether you’re at home or at work, you can take steps to manage the security of personal data.
Here are three suggestions to get started:
- Learn about safeguarding your data.
Get educated about online privacy. Two of my favorite online resources about data privacy are the Internet Society and StaySafeOnline.You can learn how to manage your identity and how to stay safe on your smartphone and as you travel. By clearing the cache in your browser, you can cover up your online tracks.
- Build security into products connected to the Internet of Things.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has published advice for businesses about building security into products and services that connect to the Internet.Available online and as a PDF, their steps include designing with authentication in mind, considerations for limiting permissions, selecting secure choice as default setting, establishing effective approaches for updating security procedures, and more.
- Read privacy policies of the websites and apps you use.
Understand how websites and applications will use and protect the data you give them. Are you comfortable with the policy? Does that email mailing list signup really need your physical address?And when that next application you download on your smartphone pops up a message stating the permissions you are granting, take time to read it. Did you want to give the app permission to send emails on your behalf? Or access your contact list?
Recent News in the United States
Earlier this month, President Obama announced new legislative proposals to safeguard and protect the privacy of American consumers and families, highlighting The Personal Data Notification & Protection Act and The Student Digital Privacy Act proposals.
Contact your legislative representative and U.S. Senator to let them know how important data security is to you.
Resources
Many organizations are posting their advice and tips today for International Data Privacy Day. Here are a few I found helpful:
- Better Business Bureau’s advice on protecting your identity and personal data: Practical tips you can implement today to protect yourself online.
- This International Data Privacy Day, protect what you hold dear: A summary of the past year’s news and events about data security and privacy, you’ll also find recommended “baby” and “big” steps for learning how to protect your online data and privacy.
- Teach kids about privacy with Privacy Pirates online game for children aged seven to nine years old.
- You’ll find tips for safety and security for your business, personal life, and tools in the LexisNexis Data Privacy post.
- Chat with others about privacy on Twitter today. Follow the #PrivacyChat hashtag to chat with folks from Mozilla and others. Mark Surman, executive director of Mozilla, will be discussing online privacy. The chat begins at 7:00pm GMT, which is 2:00pm Eastern Time, and 11:00am Pacific Time.
