Lee Hogan The U.K. Parliament passed the Data Protection Act to protect citizens’ privacy. This act addresses organizations that process, collect, organize, store, alter, and use data and provides seven principles for data protection.
- The process must be lawful, fair, and transparent.
- The data must be collected for specific purposes and limited from advancing beyond those purposes.
- Information collected must be limited to the reasons for which it is collected.
- The information must be accurate and, whenever possible, current.
- Data must be stored no longer than is necessary for its purpose.
- The information must be protected from exposure, accidental loss, destruction, unlawful processing, etc.
- Gathering agencies must be held accountable for meeting these standards.
Unfortunately, no national laws or principles mandate these types of protection for internet privacy. That leaves individuals vulnerable to things like data breaches and other issues.
Understanding Data Breaches
You’ve probably heard about various high-profile data breaches over the years. That may leave you wondering what a data breach is and why it matters to you.
A data breach is an incident in which confidential information (financial, medical, identity, passwords, etc.) about you is exposed. Sometimes, they are accidental, such as an employee attaching the wrong document to an email. In other events, they are intentional. You’ll likely hear about these high-profile hacking incidents on the news.
Sadly, this isn’t the only way people gain access to your private information online. Another method is through the digital trace. Also referred to as “active footprints,” digital traces can be achieved through Facebook likes, photographs you’re tagged in, emails, text messages, blog posts, and more.
Unfortunately, there is no easy answer for eliminating this trace, which criminals commonly use to track you, steal information, or access your accounts. This is why internet safety and protecting your privacy are so important.
Improving Internet Safety
The Internet has become an essential part of our lives. We use it every day. It’s no longer something that is used for work and play. We use it for everything. From asking Alexa about the weather to keeping up with family on social media to getting directions on our mobile phones, the Internet is a constant presence in modern existence.
That being said, it is nearly impossible to define internet safety. That is because the technology for criminals is constantly evolving, becoming more sophisticated, and causing more devastation.
Because this technology is constantly advancing, it is more important than ever to consider using a service to protect your internet privacy and your family. The right service can help you remove your private information from the web and give you greater confidence when using this essential tool daily.