National Privacy Day

January 28 is National Privacy Day.    The Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Perry Christie, proclaimed this week as National Privacy Week (source).  National Privacy day was adopted in Europe in 1981 to celebrate the signing of Convention 108, the first legally binding international treaty dealing with privacy and data protection.  

Why is there a day (or week) dedicated to personal privacy?  It's an opportunity to educate people to protect their privacy, to think about your digital footprint, and prioritize the protection of privacy.  It's a great time to consider making privacy a priority in your life. 

Naked Security published an article describing several ways that you can protect your privacy online: 

  1.  When signing up for an online profile, be thoughtful about the information you provide.  There may no reason the provider needs to know things like where you went to school.  I always cringe when I am asked for my mothers maiden name as a security question.  It seems like a stupid trick question.  I can't imagine any lucid person actually supplying this information.  I probably should follow up with companies who have the gall to ask this.  

  2.  Consider phone apps on your smart phone.  Many of them take huge liberties with your information.  They might have access to all the contacts on your phone!  The advice on the page said it's smarter to simply use the web browser on your phone versus using the app.  That really made me think about deleting some of the apps I have. 

  3.  When you're in a brick and mortar store sometimes they ask for your zip code.  Why?  I don't know.  I have provided it without asking.  I won't do that anymore without a good reason.

  4.  The last thing the article discussed was checking the privacy laws in your jurisdiction.  I probably should know what is legal and illegal with regard to my privacy and merchants.

Most of us know that our electronic communications are being intercepted by the NSA.  You might not realize that data is being siphoned from our smart phones when we enter some brick and mortar stores (source).  The Washington Post reported that some stores are using the WiFi card in your smart phone to track you.  What are they tracking?  Once the system has your MAC address it tracks where you go through the store, if you buy anything, etc.  It's sort of generic marketing information.  The data can be manipulated to determine what sells, where things should be placed, etc.  You know, marketing stuff.  However, it can also be used to spy on you as well.  The data captured can be used with other known information to determine who you are.  With that the device knows who you are and what you buy, how often you buy it, etc..  It's likely you would not know you are being watched (or followed?!!).  How does it make you feel?  Unless you 'check-in' on Facebook every place you go, you might not appreciate being "checked-in" at a store!  It makes me feel a little too exposed.  I am going to try to turn off the WiFi on my phone when I go into a store.  It will definitely take some practice!

Our privacy is not something to take for granted.  I hope you spend a little time this week thinking about your privacy and a few things you can do to protect yours!