International Data Privacy Day was created as “an international effort to create awareness about the importance of respecting privacy, safeguarding data, and enabling trust,” and it’s coming up on January 28th. You may not have heard of this day before, but you likely already understand the need for it: companies across all industries constantly harvest and utilize personal data about you and your internet usage, often without your knowledge or explicit consent. The reasons for this collection are varied but ultimately irrelevant, as no one should have their privacy infringed in this way, least of all for someone else’s profit.
Unfortunately, the law only goes so far to protect internet users, so it’s up to each of us to take steps to ensure our online privacy. Here are some ways you can celebrate Data Privacy Day by protecting yourself from undesired data collection.
While some websites and apps do secretly farm your data in the back end, much of the data that is acquired, sold, and utilized is offered up by users intentionally and free of charge. Phone numbers of people you know, credit card numbers, your geographic location, what apps you frequently use — users give it away all the time simply because it is more convenient to do so. You don’t have to pay to use social networking apps or leave the house to shop online, but you do have to give up personal information to make use of them.
Unfortunately, it’s virtually impossible to do anything on the internet without at some point trading privacy for convenience. But the goal here isn’t to complicate your life by swearing off convenience forever. Instead, be aware of what you are giving away for convenience, and carefully consider if the trade is worth it on a case-by-case basis. When faced with a trade-off, ask yourself:
If you don’t like or can’t find the answers to these questions, then it’s probably best to keep your data to yourself.
Every app, account, or device you use should have robust privacy settings that enable you to control what and how your data is collected, and who has access to it. If the software or hardware in question does not have these kinds of settings, it’s best not to use it. However, the existence of these settings alone is not enough to protect you.
The default privacy settings of a product are usually inadequate because it is not in the vendor’s interest to curtail its collection of your data. So you have to go in and adjust them to your satisfaction to ensure control over your data. Make it a habit to check privacy settings regularly, such as when you first start using the app/device or after it is updated.
Contrary to what some advertisements might claim, a VPN (virtual private network) is not a silver bullet that can protect you from all the threats on the internet, but it is still an integral tool for data security and data privacy. In a nutshell, a VPN masks your IP address and funnels all your internet traffic through a secure server. So if someone happens to be snooping on your internet activity, instead of spying on where you go and what you do there and then following the data back to you, they won’t be able to determine your location and will only see a stream of encrypted data from a single server.
VPNs enhance anonymity and prevent websites and advertisers from easily tracking your online activities, and the best part is that these days, they are fast, affordable, and unobtrusive. They are a must for businesses of all kinds, and even individuals can enjoy cheap and easy access to powerful and reputable VPNs. Just remember, when choosing a VPN provider, make sure they have a strict no-logs policy to ensure your data remains private.
While the suggestions provided above are helpful for protecting against undesired data collection, data privacy is a vast and evolving field, with new challenges and solutions emerging frequently. We encourage you to stay updated and aware. Don’t hesitate to contact AllConnected for more comprehensive advice tailored to your specific needs and situation.