Today starts Data Privacy Week! The National Cybersecurity Alliance started Data Privacy Day in January 2008, but because data privacy is so important, it was expanded into Data Privacy Week. This year the theme is “Take Control of Your Data.”
With some data you have no control over how that data is collected, but you do have a right to data privacy. Today I want to share some tips on how to manage your data so that your privacy is protected as much as possible.
- Know the tradeoff between privacy and convenience.
- If you open a new account, download a new app, or join a social media platform, you may be asked for access to your personal data before you can use it.
- The third-party asking for your personal information finds value in that information for demographics and analytical purposes.
- But for you, please think about whether or not the service or app is actually worth you giving up your personal information.
- Think about the data being asked for and whether or not it makes sense that this third-party would even need it.
- And find out how you can control your data privacy while using the service or app.
- Adjust privacy settings to make sense to you.
- Use the app and account to find the privacy and security settings, keeping in mind that the location varies from app to app, but they should all have this.
- Set these for what you are comfortable with regarding your personal information.
- For instance, Facebook will allow you to share with Friends, Public, or Only Me.
- Review your privacy and security settings from time to time, as many apps change.
- Protect your data.
- Use a strong password that is at least 12 characters and uses uppercase, lowercase, special characters, and numbers.
- Use a unique password for each and every account and change them occasionally.
- Use multifactor authentication for every account that permits it so if your password is stolen, your account is still protected.
- Make sure all devices, apps, and browsers are running the latest versions by turning on automatic updates.
- Keep identifying and ignoring those phishing emails and text messages like you are all so good at doing!
Thank you so much for protecting the Institute’s data, but please make sure you protect your own, as well. I plan to do a newsletter each day this week to share information about data privacy. And, as always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to let me know!
Sandy
