International Data Privacy Day 2022

History of Data Privacy Day

Data Privacy Day, taking place on Jan. 28, is an international event that raises awareness about the importance of privacy and promotes personal and business data protection practices. Started in the United States and Canada in January 2008, Data Privacy Day is an extension to the celebration of the Data Protection Day in Europe. It is celebrated in the United States, Israel, Canada, and European countries. Data Protection Day remembers the signing of Convention 108 on Jan. 28, 1981, the first legally binding international agreement dealing with privacy and data protection.

The educational focus has increased over the years among families, consumers, and businesses. Data Privacy Day’s educational initiative promotes awareness among businesses and users about the importance of protecting their business and personal information in social networking.  

Data Privacy Day supports the activities and events that stimulate technology tools development along with the educational initiative. Additionally, the tools that promote individual control over personally identifiable information encourage compliance with privacy laws and regulations and create exchanges among stakeholders interested in advancing data protection and privacy. The international celebration offers many collaboration opportunities among governments, industries, academics, privacy professionals, and educators.

Data Privacy Day’s Theme of 2022 

This year’s theme is ‘Privacy Matters.’ It instils a sense of responsibility by emphasising the importance of privacy in everyone’s life. Whether you’re an individual looking to manage your privacy and how your data is collected and shared, or a business collecting, using, and storing that information, remember: Personal information is like money. Value it. Protect it.

How to Involve in Data Privacy Day?

Many people feel a lack of control over their private data. We all know to generate data online, but it is equally important to protect it from fraudsters. 

Follow these essential privacy tips that will help manage essential data and make more informed decisions.

Individuals

1) Your personal information is equally important as your bank balance in your life. Make informed decisions while sharing your personal information with businesses, such as IP address, purchase history, location, and transaction history. Consider the amount of information a business is asking for and the benefits you may receive in return while sharing any information. 

2) Several apps are available out there that you might need in your daily life. Many of these apps ask for your personal information, such as your contacts list, geographic location, photos, or videos, before using their services. Take wise decisions on who gets your information and recognize suspicious apps that ask for information irrelevant to the services they are offering. Update your reviews and delete unused apps on your internet-connect devices to secure others.

3) While using any web services or apps, check the privacy and security settings and set them according to your convenience. Different browsers, devices, or applications have features to limit how and with whom you share your personal information, to help you make intelligent decisions.

Businesses

1) Data breaches lead to significant financial losses for businesses, but it also leads to loss of reputation and customer trust. Organizations should apply security measures to keep individual’s information safe from unauthorized access. Make sure to implement data collection methods that are fair and collect only the relevant data.

2) Consider adopting a privacy framework into your business to build privacy, manage risk, and create a privacy culture in your organization.

3) By researching and assessing your data collection processes, understand which privacy laws and regulations apply to your business. Educate your employees on protecting customers’ information.

4) Try to maintain transparency with your customers. Be open and honest on how you collect their information, use and share it. Conduct an assessment of your business’s services and how the consumer should expect their data to be used. Design privacy settings as per their comfort and protect their information by default. Communicate clearly and concisely to the public on what privacy means to your organization and the steps you take to achieve and maintain it.

5) Try to manage oversight of your vendors and partners. If a third party provides security services on your behalf, you are equally responsible for how they collect and use customers’ vital information.

How to Celebrate Data Privacy Day?

Privacy is essential for everyone, whether it is an individual or a business. To celebrate this year’s Data Privacy Day, you can get involved from anywhere, such as home or work. The use of the internet increased incredibly, which has increased the risk of data breaches or cyber-attacks. To avoid such situations in the future, take action, and help create a privacy culture. Support the theme of Data Privacy Day of respecting privacy and safeguarding data. Here are some ways of celebrating Data Privacy Day.

Celebrate on Social Media Platforms

1) Follow Cybersecurity related pages on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn to get the latest updates on online safety resources and news.

2) Share privacy tips and reminders on your social media platforms. Use hashtags related to Data Privacy Day while posting any content on social media sites.

3) Write or share a blog related to Data Privacy Day to spread privacy awareness.

4) Download and share privacy tips and practices.

At School, College, Work and In the Community

1) Be active in celebrating Data Privacy Day and show your school’s or organization’s involvement in the day.  

2) Post the content related to Privacy Laws and tips on your company’s website and promote it.

3) Send an email to employees and customers or your school members and community about the day and outline the plan to get involved in the celebration. Highlight the theme and spread awareness through messaging.

4) Businesses hold much importance on data privacy. Create the privacy culture at your workplace and explain the role of privacy to your employees.

5) Include information about the Data Privacy Day in your community newsletter. Try to highlight “Own Your Privacy” and some of the key messages.

6) With your leadership’s help, try to issue an official proclamation highlighting your organization’s initiative in respecting privacy.

7) Organize contests in your school or organization. You can also offer any product discounts or giveaways for customers on Data Privacy Day.

At Home

1) Encourage your family and friends to involve in Data Privacy Day and ask them to update their security frameworks.

2) Send an email or message to your groups and spread awareness on protecting personal information and devices.

3) Test your knowledge on protecting personal information by taking a privacy or security quiz. Get started with the National Privacy Test and Google Phishing Quiz.

It’s a Wrap!

Get involved in celebrating international Data Privacy Day and encourage others too. Simple data privacy tips can always keep you away from fraudsters.