January 28 marks the 8th annual Data Privacy Day (DPD), an international effort centered on "Respecting Privacy, Safeguarding Data, and Enabling Trust."
Data Privacy Day's goals are to:
- Raise awareness and educate consumers to better understand how their personal information may be collected, as well as the benefits and risks of sharing personal data.
- Empower consumers to express their expectations for the use, protection, and management of their personal data.
- Inspire consumers through concrete, simple, and actionable tips to more actively manage their online lives.
- Encourage and motivate consumers to consider the privacy implications of their online actions for themselves and others.
- Encourage businesses to be data stewards by being open and honest about how they collect, use, and share personal information, and clearly communicating any available privacy and security controls.
In the expanding online and digitally connected world, privacy is gaining more and more attention. While the average American consumer is beginning to understand the far-reaching value of their personal information, consumers also continue to express concerns about their privacy online. In 2013, the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) convened a Privacy Messaging Development Committee (PMDC) comprised of 35+ members from civil society, nonprofits, government, and industry. PMDC created research-based tips to encourage and motivate consumers to consider the privacy implications of their online actions for themselves and others, and we recently completed and released these tips on the Data Privacy Day page.
EDUCAUSE has been a partner of NCSA since the start, and it has launched a month-long call to action beginning on January 28 to further educate people and empower them to share with care and protect their personal information. To learn more about Data Privacy Month and how you can participate, visit the Data Privacy Month page.
Check out some of the ways you can get involved this Data Privacy Day and all month long:
- Be a leader on social media. Post privacy tips, or create your own messages, using the official Data Privacy Day hashtag #DPD15. You can also join our Twitter chats and make DPD your profile image! Get all your social media resources here.
- Attend a Data Privacy Day event or one of IAPP's Privacy After Hours networking events for privacy professionals.
- Become a Champion. Have your organization show its support of Data Privacy Day by becoming an official DPD Champion. Many colleges and universities have already done so, and it's free and only takes a minute to sign up.
- Share privacy resources. Print privacy tip sheets to display around the home computer or office and other public gathering places like libraries and community centers.
- Discuss privacy with your family. Have a "privacy talk" with your family, reminding everyone not to overshare personal information online. Discuss other tips for using mobile devices and social networks responsibly. Use Data Privacy Day resources to guide the conversation.
I encourage you to check out and share our new privacy tips and learn how you can update your privacy settings on your online accounts. Follow the #DPD15 hashtag on social media to stay up to date on upcoming privacy events and information.
Thank you to the higher education community for helping raise awareness of the importance of data protection and stewardship. We look forward to celebrating Data Privacy Day and Data Privacy Month with you this year and for years to come!
© 2015 Michael Kaiser