It’s true – your personal information is valuable and it’s worth protecting. Data Privacy Day is an amplified reminder that we should be aware of privacy issues both at home and in the workplace. Aside from that icky feeling we get when our privacy is violated, there are serious implications including financial loss if we don’t give privacy the respect and attention it deserves.
So today, put on your privacy cap and take some time to think about privacy and how it impacts you, your family and your business. Here are some facts from Stay Safe Online and the National Cyber Security Alliance to get the wheels turning (https://staysafeonline.org/data-privacy-day/).
Many Americans acknowledge that they are not always diligent about paying attention to privacy policies and terms of service.
- Only about 1 in 5 adults say they always (9 percent) or often (13 percent) read privacy policies.
- 78 percent of adults in the United States say they understand very little or nothing about what the government does with the data it collects.
- 59 percent say the same about the data companies collect.
- 63 percent say they have very little or no understanding of the laws and regulations that are currently in place to protect their privacy.
Not convinced?
- 82 percent of cyber stalkers use social media to find out information about potential victims – for example, where they live and which school they attend.
- Nearly one-third of consumers do not know that many of the “free” online services they use are paid for via targeted advertising made possible by the tracking and collecting of their personal data.
- 57 percent of teens say they have created an account that their parents are unaware of, such as a social media site or an app they wanted to use.
So tune into your privacy and learn how to take simple steps to protect it. We’ll be here for you at Profection Security and I encourage you to visit Stay Safe Online for a wealth of privacy tips for individuals and business owners too. https://staysafeonline.org/stay-safe-online/managing-your-privacy/
Happy Data Privacy Day!
