When you think of privacy, what comes to mind? Closing your window shades? Keeping your phone screen locked? Shutting the door when you have a sensitive conversation? We all do these things to preserve our privacy, but what does privacy mean to your digital life?
What is privacy?
Privacy is a RIGHT – it is generally thought of as the right not to be observed or disturbed by others. Like all rights, the exact meaning of privacy varies from age to age and among different cultures. But today, you can think of privacy as your right to keep both your person and your information to yourself.
What is data privacy?
The sheer volume of data generated about you and your online activities is staggering, which is why data privacy has become the defining issue of our digital age. Even if you don’t care very much, thousands of businesses across the globe pay top dollar to learn about you through this data.
Your online data can be categorized in specific ways. First, there is personal information like your name, birth date, Social Security number, medical records, and credit card numbers.
Then there is data about what you do online, like what websites you visit, what products you buy online, and who you communicate with on social media. This data can be highly granular, like how many seconds you spend looking at a webpage before clicking on something else. Advertisers and other businesses prize this data because it allows them to better target ads and products toward you.
Often, this data is anonymized when sold, meaning an advertiser won’t know the specific name of the person who clicked on a link. Still, by adding a cross-section of data about you, they can personalize ads specifically for you.
Data privacy, then, is the right to keep your data private.
Understand that you cannot keep all your data private from everyone – the IRS, for example, must know how much money you make, or you will face unpleasant consequences. However, you should know your data privacy rights and, when you can, make choices to only share your information when you feel it is appropriate.
Is data privacy the same as cybersecurity?
Data privacy and cybersecurity are different fields, but they go together.
Cybersecurity is about keeping your data safe from bad actors. It is focused on preventing and solving threats like hacking, malware, and online scams in which bad actors exploit network vulnerabilities to get their hands on personal data to sell or use against you for financial gain – it is incredibly valuable.
Data privacy revolves around rules, guidelines, and your own personal choices about who has access to your data and how much access they have. It’s about your right to keep your data safe from those who aren’t necessarily cybercriminals, like websites and businesses.
Why is data privacy important?
Why should you care if an advertiser knows what shoes you just bought through social media?
Think about it this way: have you ever been creeped out after using a search engine, and then suddenly, all the ads on the websites you visit are about the thing you searched for? Do you want unscrupulous marketers to have your phone number so they can call you constantly?
There is probably some data you really don’t want others to have full access to, like your emails.
With technology, there is always a trade-off between privacy and convenience. The best way to protect your data privacy is to be careful when downloading apps, programs, or plug-ins.
Be aware that some software applications scan your email for data and sell it to advertisers. Even if a plug-in provides a decent service, like easily allowing you to unsubscribe from promotional emails, check the privacy settings before downloading and think twice about giving the service total access to your email inbox.
Another example: Map apps. They need to know your current location to give you directions, but does your Google really need to keep track of all your activities to provide you with their service?
And common on does your solitaire app really need to know where you live??
Knowing about data privacy can help you make decisions and form habits.
Believe us, finding peace of mind by being more aware of your data privacy is worth it.
Want to view or change your privacy/security settings but need help finding them? Use these direct links to update your privacy settings on popular devices and online services, or read about your platforms’ privacy policies and statements.
Article published with permission from National Cybersecurity Alliance.
