The Information Age has precipitated a large interest in digital data privacy and safety. However, as we are still in the relatively early ages of the digital era, many are unfamiliar with what data privacy is, what data security is, and what is the difference between them. So, in this article, we would like to go over what digital data privacy entails and why it is so important.
What is Digital Data Privacy?
When people talk about digital data privacy, it is usually for the purpose of advocating in favor of customer and consumer privacy rights. Many of you might be familiar with the 2018 Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal, wherein it was revealed that Facebook was selling their users’ data for the purpose of targeted marketing without their consent.
The scandal led to quite a large controversy, and the social media network faced legal charges. Many will recall that the company’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, appeared in front of the U.S. Supreme Court to defend his company’s actions.
So, to put it in simple terms, when people talk about data privacy, what they mean is the right of the consumer to keep their data private.
Why Data Privacy is Important
There are quite a few reasons for why you would want to keep your data private. The first reason is simple. We all have a right to privacy, and some of us would prefer that our privacy not be violated. However, the importance of data privacy goes beyond just morality.
In brokering data, these companies make it a lot easier for hackers to get their hands on our personal information. In the past couple of years, hacking and cyber-related crimes have drastically risen. The FBI have stated that there has been a 400% spike in cybercrime.
So, data privacy is important because it keeps you safe when browsing the web. Now that you know why data privacy is important, the question becomes, what you can do to ensure your data remains private.
Steps to Take
The best thing that you can do is get in touch with data removal companies, like Incogni. What the company does is, they step into contact with data brokers, and use international data privacy laws (such as the GDPR Act) to request data brokers remove your private and personal information from their database. The second best thing you can do is to opt out from data brokers manually, you can follow these opt out guides to get started.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acijNEErf-c
Credit: Channel 4 News, an explanation of GDPR, a data protection act.
It is important to note that Incogni cannot offer any direct protection from hackers. Instead, they help you ensure your data privacy by requesting your data be removed. If you are looking to protect yourself more directly, then there are certain steps you can take to accomplish that as well.
Apart from employing the services of companies like Incogni, there are some simpler steps that you can take. The most obvious one is to avoid using any unsecured apps. Come up with strong passwords, and avoid giving out any personal information to social media websites, or any other website that might demand it.
