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In a very interconnected world, it’s imperative that we remember to safeguard our data security. The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), the organization that heads Cyber Security Awareness month each October, has been leading an effort to raise awareness to this issue since 2011, but the history of it goes back to 1981.

Data Privacy Day began in the United States and Canada in January 2008 as an extension of the Data Protection Day celebration in Europe. Data Protection Day commemorates the Jan. 28, 1981, signing of Convention 108, the first legally binding international treaty dealing with privacy and data protection. Data Privacy Day is now a celebration for everyone, observed annually on Jan. 28.

The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) assumed leadership of Data Privacy Day from the Privacy Projects in August 2011. A nonprofit, public-private partnership dedicated to promoting a safer, more secure and more trusted Internet, NCSA is advised by a distinguished advisory committee of privacy professionals.

So, what can you do to get involved in this awareness? The Alliance offers a couple suggestions:

• • At work, encourage a culture that respects and values data privacy. Teach employees how easily privacy breaches can occur with negligent internet use in the workplace, and what the impact can be on the company. Review data security best practices that can help prevent malicious software from entering the network. Share this infographic from NCSA called Privacy is Good for Business.
  • At home, talk with your kids about safe internet use. Read a list of tips for parents here. It will probably be a good refresher for adults as well because poor internet security practices are easy to slip into.

And finally, here are a few tips they provide for ensuring privacy in the workplace:

Personal information may be valuable to your business, but it’s also something your customers value. Consider taking the following actions to create a culture of respecting privacy, safeguarding data and enabling trust in your organization.

If you collect it, protect it. Follow reasonable security measures to protect individuals’ personal information from inappropriate and unauthorized access.

Be open and honest about how you collect, use and share personal information. Clearly communicate your privacy practices and any tools you offer consumers to manage their data.

Don’t count on your privacy notice as your only tool to educate consumers about your data practices. Communicate clearly and often to the public about what privacy means to your organization and the steps you take to achieve and maintain privacy and security.

Create a culture of privacy in your organization. Educate employees about their role in privacy, security, respecting and protecting the personal information of colleagues and customers.

Conduct due diligence and maintain oversight of partners and vendors. You are also responsible for how they use and collect personal information.

We take data security seriously at Great Lakes Computer. We offer a range of services, like antivirus, cloud computing, and digital forensics, that can help you protect your most valuable asset, your information. If you feel you don’t have the level of protection you need, contact us today.



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