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Another tip in a series provided by the
Offices of Information Systems & Computing and Audit, Compliance & Privacy.

How Are You Celebrating Data Privacy Month?

Data Privacy Day is an annual international event that promotes awareness about the ways personal information is collected, stored, used, and shared. It recognizes the dignity of the individual as expressed in the concept of personal information, and is aimed at empowering individuals to protect their privacy and data. Data Privacy Day is celebrated January 28, and January is widely observed as Data Privacy Month.

How can you celebrate Data Privacy Month in ways that are practical and impactful for you? Here are some ideas:

  • Protect yourself on social networking sites: Facebook’s greatest feature—the ability to connect you with many people in an instant—is also the source of its greatest peril. Visit the Privacy website to find “Top Ten” tips on how to protect yourself when using Facebook. Did you know that you can create separate lists of friends on Facebook to control who can see what? And that you can review tags and limit them on your timeline? Make sure to check this list often, as Facebook terms and services are known to change regularly! www.upenn.edu/privacy/Brochures/top10fb.pdf
  • Take steps to protect yourself from identity theft: The Privacy website also offers tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft, including advice for travelers.www.upenn.edu/oacp/privacy/yourdata/identity-theft.html
  • Follow the tips for safe computing: Visit the Information Systems and Computing website to find ISC’s “Top 10 Tips for Faculty” and “Top 10 Tips for Staff.” These will get you quickly through the many critical topics—including firewalls, passwords, wireless, phishing and more—that will assist you in protecting both Penn data and your personal information. You will also see the “Top Ten Tips for Smartphones and Tablets.” Read them all here: www.upenn.edu/computing/security/checklists/Top10

For more background on Data Privacy Day, visit www.staysafeonline.org/dpd

For resources relating to higher education, see www.educause.edu/policy/dataprivacy

 

Related: A Duty to Protect Oneself?
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