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Data Privacy Day: A Reminder to Protect Your Personal Data

Data Privacy Day

Sunday, January 28th, 2024 is Data Privacy Day, an annual international event created to raise awareness about online privacy and promote best practices for protecting your data and identity online. Why is such a day necessary?

7 out of 10 Americans are concerned about how their personal data is being used, according to Pew Research Group, and their worries aren’t unfounded. Over a third of U.S. adults have been the victim of hacking or a data breach in the past 12 months — the latter being at an all-time high, up 20% compared to 2022.

It’s not just bad passwords that are to blame, corporations, vendors and software organizations are increasingly falling victim to cybercrime that puts people’s data at risk.

How to Protect Your Personal Data

Do your research

The bad news? There are a lot of ways your data can be stolen. The good news? There are just as many ways that you can protect it. The National Cybersecurity Alliance has plenty of practical tips for protecting your social media, home networks, mobile devices, and more like…

  • Paying attention when an app or a website requests data such as your current location.
  • Check what permissions you give social media apps
  • Enable multi-factor authentication
  • Have complex and unique passwords
  • Think twice on the friend requests you accept

Secure logins

It may seem like an obvious comparison, but it helps to think of your password like it’s a house key. If you lost your house key, you would get a new one made, not a copy of the old one. You only give copies of the key to people you absolutely trust. Your house key is unique; it is different from your car key, your office key, and the key to your shed in the backyard. Why should your password be any different? Use unique passwords for each unique account, and don’t share it. If you believe someone hacked your account, change your password immediately.

Updated software.

Those little pop-ups bugging you to update your software are there for a reason. The more updated your software is, the better it’s able to protect your data. Next time your phone, computer, tablet, or other device tells you it needs an update, listen.

Privacy settings.

Nearly all of your online accounts, especially on social media, give you options concerning the privacy of your data. Turn these up as high as you are comfortable with. Unless your profile is for a business, don’t leave your account public. Only your close friends and family really need to see what you’re up to.

What is the most sensitive personal data?

Understanding the biggest threats to your personal data for data privacy day.
Source: Cloudwards.net

Share what you learn!

Although you want your data to be secret, you shouldn’t keep data protection strategies to yourself! Use Data Privacy Day to start a conversation with your friends and family about data protection. Especially if you have children or aging adults in your life, it’s imperative to spread the knowledge. On social media, use hashtags to join in on conversations about data privacy. #PrivacyAware is an obvious one.

If you own a business, work at a school, run a nonprofit, work for a government organization, or just have a passion for protecting data, consider becoming a Data Privacy Day champion. Champions are representatives of the importance of data privacy. They encourage others to learn about and take part in data protection strategies.

Identity Theft
Booklet

Identity Theft

Credit

Identity theft can ruin your credit and cost you serious time and money. It’s essential that you take steps to protect your identity and learn how to prevent ID theft. This guide will teach you how, as well as providing guidance on what you should do if you’ve been a victim.

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