National Cyber Security Alliance Announces Theme for Data Privacy Day; Forms New Advisory Committee

New Web Portal Launched with Resources and Tips for Improving Data Privacy and Protection

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), a non-profit public-private partnership focused on helping all digital citizens stay safer and more secure online and official coordinator of Data Privacy Day (DPD), today announced the official theme for DPD, the creation of a distinguished advisory committee and a new Data Privacy Day Web portal available at: http://staysafeonline.org/data-privacy-day/. Data Privacy Day is an international awareness effort celebrated across the United States, Canada, Europe and other countries on January 28^th every year.

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NCSA and the advisory committee worked together to create the theme for Data Privacy Day entitled:  "respecting privacy, safeguarding data and enabling trust." The statement speaks to the need for everyone – from individuals and companies – to handle personal information with care and protect it from loss. When we respect privacy and safeguard data we contribute to a safer and more trusted Internet. Additionally, the new portal for Data Privacy Day is a place for any person, organization or company that wants to participate in Data Privacy Day to get ideas, tip sheets and graphics to help them celebrate Data Privacy Day.

Under the leadership of founding Chairman Dan Caprio, former chief privacy officer at the United States Department of Commerce and now a senior strategic advisor at McKenna, Long & Aldridge, the advisory committee will provide ideas and insights into how Data Privacy Day can best align with leading-edge privacy issues in a thoughtful and meaningful way.   

"I'm pleased that the advisory committee has such a dynamic representation of organizations including academia, civil society, and industry," said Dan Caprio, founding chair of the Data Privacy Day Advisory Committee.  "I'm looking forward to working with so many friends and former colleagues on the advisory board to tackle the most current privacy issues.  We're all very excited about building on the efforts of previous Data Privacy Days and reaching an even greater audience in 2013 with messages about protecting personal information."

Additional advisory committee members include:
 

• Martin E. Abrams, president, Centre for Information Policy Leadership, Hunton and Williams
• Annie Antón, professor and chair, School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Institute of Technology
• Fred Cate, co-director, Center for Law, Ethics and Applied Research in Health Information at Indiana University
• Jolynn Dellinger, senior advisor, Data Privacy Day, Former Program Manager for Data Privacy Day (2007-2012)
• Leslie Harris, president and CEO, Center for Democracy and Technology
• Sandra R. Hughes, president and CEO, Sandra Hughes, LLC., retired Global Privacy Executive, Procter & Gamble
• Jules Polonetsky, co-chair and director, Future of Privacy Forum
• Richard Purcell, CEO, Corporate Privacy Group
• Andrew Serwin, chair of Privacy, Security and Information Management, Foley and Lardner, LLP
• Peter Swire, C. William O'Neill Professor of Law, the Ohio State University

"We're thrilled and thankful for the participation of these privacy leaders in our efforts. We encourage everyone to participate in Data Privacy Day," said Michael Kaiser, executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance.

Kaiser added: "We now live in a world where people can instantly access and share information in real-time. We believe the theme: 'Respecting privacy, safeguarding data and enabling trust,' is a cohesive message that applies across the Internet ecosystem.  We look forward to the continued engagement of industry, government, schools and nonprofit organizations to help grow Data Privacy Day."

The bios for all advisory committee members can be found on the new Data Privacy Day Web portal along with a host of tips and resources for parents, teachers, educators, businesses and others at: http://www.staysafeonline.org/data-privacy-day/. The portal also offers information about how to promote Data Privacy Day such as becoming a Data Privacy Day Champion, sponsorship opportunities and a community calendar to post events. NCSA encourages companies and organizations to become a Champion by registering at: http://www.staysafeonline.org/data-privacy-day/champions.

Data Privacy Day information is also available on Facebook and Twitter at: https://www.facebook.com/DataPrivacyNCSA and www.twitter.com/DataPrivacyDay.

About Data Privacy Day
Led by the National Cyber Security Alliance, Data Privacy Day began in the United States and Canada in January 2008 as an extension of the Data Protection Day celebration in Europe. The Day commemorates the 1981 signing of Convention 108 – the first legally binding international treaty dealing with privacy and data protection. Data Privacy Day is a celebration for everyone and an effort to empower people to protect their privacy, control their digital footprint and escalate the protection of data privacy as everyone's priority. Intel is a Platinum sponsor of Data Privacy Day.

About The National Cyber Security Alliance
The National Cyber Security Alliance is a non-profit organization. Through collaboration with the government, corporate, non-profit and academic sectors, the mission of the NCSA is to educate and empower a digital citizenry to use the Internet securely and safely protecting themselves and the technology they use and the digital assets we all share. NCSA board members include: ADP, AT&T, Bank of America, EMC Corporation, ESET, Facebook, Google, Intel, McAfee, Microsoft, PayPal, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Symantec, Trend Micro, Verizon and Visa. Visit www.staysafeonline.org for more information and join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/staysafeonline.

SOURCE National Cyber Security Alliance