National Cyber Security Alliance Launches Data Privacy Day, Helping Consumers Better Navigate Privacy in a Digitally Connected World

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This coming Wednesday, January 28, marks the eighth annual Data Privacy Day in the United States. Data Privacy Day centers on "Respecting Privacy, Safeguarding Data and Enabling Trust." The day is dedicated to encouraging consumers to learn to protect their personal information and businesses to be more transparent about how they collect and use data. Data Privacy Day is led by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), the nation's leading nonprofit public-private partnership promoting the safe and secure use of the Internet.

"American consumers have fully embraced the Internet and understand the benefits and the risks of a digitally connected world that relies on the use of their personal information," said Michael Kaiser, NCSA Executive Director. "We are on the cusp of many exciting technological breakthroughs in the medical field, the Internet of Things and other applications that will greatly impact our lives. We will only achieve this great progress if we build a safer, more secure and trusted Internet. The respectful use and protection of personal information needs to be a foundational tenet that guides our ongoing development."

NCSA and a team of privacy experts developed the following simple, concrete and consumer-friendly tips. The tips were created to inspire all digital citizens to consider the implications of their actions and to improve their online safety and security. While companies, email providers and retailers should take on greater responsibility regarding privacy, individuals can also protect their personal information by using these easily initiated practices:  

Share with Care

• What you post can last a lifetime: Before posting online, think about how it might be perceived now and in the future and who might see it. 
• Own your online presence: Set the privacy and security settings on web services and devices to your comfort level for information sharing. It's ok to limit how and with whom you share information. 
• Be aware of what's being shared: Be aware that when you share a post, picture or video online, you may also be revealing information about others. Be thoughtful when and how you share information about others.
• Post only about others as you have them post about you: The golden rule applies online as well. 

Personal Information Is Like Money. Value It. Protect It.

• Think before you act: Be wary of communications that implore you to act immediately, offer something that sounds too good to be true or ask for personal information.
• Get two steps ahead: Switch on two-step verification or multi-factor authentication wherever offered to prevent unauthorized access. 

Join an Engaging Livestream Event on January 28: Health Privacy in a Fully Connected World
By 2020, the entire concept of how medicine is practiced will change. Data collected from ingestibles, wearables and our DNA will be used to chart who we are and drive healthcare decisions. The challenge will be managing a balance between the loss of autonomy and increased opportunity for longevity. In honor of Data Privacy Day, NCSA and the Georgia Tech School of Interactive Computing and the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business invite you to an interactive, lively and revealing conversation with leading privacy experts to explore the future of health privacy and the pioneering technologies that are changing the game.

Join this exciting event virtually beginning at 1:30pm EST until 4:45pm EST via https://new.livestream.com/NCSA/dataprivacyday.

Data Privacy Day Resources

• Conduct your own "privacy checkup" at the online resource page, a one-stop shop for trouble-free tips created to update your privacy/security settings. 
• Are you a "privacy pro"? Or do you need to brush up on how to better protect your online information? Take the NCSA and SpiderOak My Privacy IQ quiz at http://myprivacyiq.com/.
• Visit http://www.staysafeonline.org/data-privacy-day/ for a wide range of materials including free downloadable collateral, tips, event ideas, resources for families, businesses, educators and more.
• There are various privacy events ‒ open to the general public ‒ that will be hosted throughout the country online and offline. Click here to learn more: www.staysafeonline.org/data-privacy-day/events.
• www.idtheftinfo.org, developed by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), offers a library of resources for consumers about privacy and identity protection.
• Learn about iKeepSafe's new privacy initiatives that allow students to benefit from the use of technology in the classroom while giving you peace of mind that their privacy is being safeguarded. 
• Visit https://webmaker.org/en-US/resources/literacy/weblit-Privacy to discover who's watching you online and why, some things you can do to help protect your privacy and how to teach others what you've learned.

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. On January 27, 2014, the 113th U.S. Congress adopted S. Res. 337, a nonbinding resolution expressing support for the designation of January 28 as "National Data Privacy Day." Ghostery is the Leading Sponsor of Data Privacy Day while ESET and Intel are Contributing Sponsors. Participating Sponsors are Lockheed Martin, Merck, Morrison & Foerster and Alston & Bird. Small Business Sponsors include the Churchill Club, the Georgia Tech School of Interactive Computing and the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business, Privacy Ref LLC, PRIVATE WiFi, Reputation.com, SnoopWall and Golden Frog.

About The National Cyber Security Alliance
The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) is the nation's leading nonprofit public-private partnership promoting the safe and secure use of the Internet. Working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), private sector sponsors and non-profit collaborators to promote cybersecurity awareness, NCSA board members include representatives from ADP, AT&T, Bank of America, Comcast Corporation, EMC Corporation, ESET, Facebook, Google, Intel, McAfee, Microsoft, Raytheon, Symantec, Verizon and Visa. Through collaboration with the government, corporate, non-profit and academic sectors, NCSA's mission is to educate and empower a digital citizenry to use the Internet securely and safely, protect themselves and the technology they use and protect the digital assets we all share. For more information on NCSA please visit: http://www.staysafeonline.org/about-us/overview/

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SOURCE National Cyber Security Alliance

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