What is Data Privacy Day?
Most of us are familiar with the sinking feeling we experience when we discover that one of our credit cards or online accounts was breached. Personally, in the past, I was more reactive than proactive but changed to now employ 2FA (two-factor authentication). It is an extra step that I find annoying sometimes, but it’s a minor annoyance if it helps protect our data.
Data Privacy Day (known in Europe as Data Protection Day) is an annual international event observed on January 28th. However, its activities often continue for a week or longer. It is depurpose is to raise awareness about the importance of protecting personal information and to encourage individuals and organizations to take action to protect personal information.
Data privacy is important because personal information, such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, and personal contacts, can be used for identity theft, financial fraud, and other malicious activities. Additionally, in today’s digital age, personal information is often collected and shared by companies, governments, and other organizations, which can raise concerns about how this information is used and who has access to it. Observing Data Privacy Day helps raise awareness of these issues and encourages individuals and organizations to take steps to protect personal information.
Preventing Unauthorized Digital Access
Folio Photonics recently showcased its optical storage advancements at CES 2023. Steve Sanatamaria, CEO of Folio Photonics. provided a quote on this very timely and important topic:
“It is no secret that data is at the center of everything you do. Whether you are a business, a nonprofit, an educational institution, a government agency, or the military, it is vital to your everyday operations. It is, therefore, critical that the appropriate person(s) in your organization have access to the data they need anytime, anywhere, and under any conditions. However, it is of equal importance that you keep it from falling into the wrong hands.
Therefore, when managing current and archival data, a top concern must be data security and durability, not just today but for decades upon decades into the future. The ideal data storage solution must offer encryption and WORM (write-once, read-many) capabilities. It must require little power and minimal climate control. It should be impervious to EMPs, salt water, high temps, and altitudes. And, all archive solutions must have 100+ years of media life and be infinitely backward compatible, while still delivering a competitive TCO. But most importantly, the data storage must have the ability to be air-gapped as this is truly the only way to prevent unauthorized digital access.”
How Can We Get Involved in Data Privacy Week 2023?
Organizations, including the National Cybersecurity Alliance and IAPP (International Association of Privacy Professionals) list activities and events in the coming weeks. Check out the National Cybersecurity Alliance (StaySafeOnline) video below, or visit the IAPP website for more information:
Make Data Security and Privacy Safeguards a Habit
There are many reasons why it’s important to be aware and proactive about protecting our privacy and data.
- Personal information can be used for identity theft, which can cause financial harm and damage to our credit.
- Companies and organizations may use personal information for targeted advertising, which can be invasive and creepy.
- Governments may use personal information for surveillance, which can be a violation of civil liberties.
- Personal information can be hacked or leaked, which can embarrass or damage our reputation.
Protecting our privacy and data is essential because it helps maintain our autonomy and control over our personal information. The more we take measures to secure our data, the greater our sense of well-being.
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