Now observed in more than fifty countries around the world, Data Privacy Day, observed January 28, has become an annual international effort to create awareness about the importance of privacy and protecting personal information.
The day provides an important reminder for individuals to be conscientious stewards of personal information year-round. “Those Clemson University employees in compliance of policies incorporate data privacy practices into our daily functions and make those practices part of our routine operations,” said Chief Privacy Officer Theo Wills. “For example, they don’t collect more information than required to perform their work duties, adhere to University records management policies and retention schedules and properly dispose of data.”
Steps Towards Protection
To take control of your personal digital life, use the following Data Privacy Day tips from the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) to guide your interactions with businesses and apps:
- Make informed decisions about sharing your data. Carefully read privacy policies, agreements and terms and conditions.
- Consider the amount of information being requested and weigh it against the benefits you may receive in return.
- Adjust privacy and security settings to your comfort level for information sharing.
- Use NCA’s Manage Your Privacy Settings to check the settings of social media accounts, retail stores, apps and more.
The History of Data Privacy Day
Data Privacy Day’s North American premiere began in January 2008 as an extension of the Data Protection Day celebrations in Europe. The day commemorates the January 28, 1981, signing of Convention 108, the first legally binding international treaty dealing with privacy and data protection. Data Privacy Day’s educational initiative originally focused on raising awareness among businesses and users about the importance of protecting the privacy of their personal information online, particularly in the context of social networking. However, as the importance of privacy has increased, the observance has expanded beyond the business community to encompass organizations of all types and individuals.