Information leakages have become prevalent due to the development of algorithms that collect information from sites that individuals visit. In terms of big data, artificial intelligence, and the internet of things, people’s daily life patterns and choices are now being monitored by large corporations.
Some regulations guide how much data organizations can extract from visitors to their sites and how much of this information can be used. However, if you wish to remain anonymous on the internet, there are a few things you need to know about data privacy.
Below are the four most important things to enlighten you about data privacy as an individual.
1. Data Privacy Has No Legal Definition
Although the GDPR was not the first piece of privacy regulation, it was the most thorough and innovative data protection law considering how data is created and maintained in contemporary routine business processes.
However, neither the GDPR nor other data protection legislation, such as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), or the US Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), provide a precise definition of what data privacy is. Therefore, you will not find one if you seek a legal definition of data privacy.
2. Data Privacy is Essential to You as an Individual
The goal of privacy laws worldwide is to give people back control over their data by enabling them to understand how, by whom, and for what purposes their data is being used. This gives people control over how their data is handled and utilized.
Organizations that gather personal data must provide answers to these questions and manage personal data in a way that complies with applicable laws.
3. Data Privacy and Data Security Are Two Different Terms
You need data privacy and security to protect data and adhere to data protection rules adequately. Even though these two terms can appear identical, as you start to analyze them, their differences become apparent.
Data privacy concerns people’s rights, the reason for data collecting and processing, personal privacy choices, and how organizations handle people’s data. It focuses on the legal requirements for data collection, processing, sharing, archiving, and deletion.
An organization’s efforts to prevent any unauthorized access to digital data by a third party, as well as any intentional or unintentional alterations, deletions, or disclosure of data, fall under the category of data security.
4. Data Privacy Centers on Transparency
The true value in the era of the data economy is found in accumulated personal data. This indicates that data is an asset that should be kept and protected.
Companies frequently forget that the personal information they process on individuals is merely on loan to them.
Individuals can exercise their rights under privacy regulations, including the right to be forgotten, and in some cases, they can regain control of their data.
5. You Can Take Several Measures to Keep Your Data Private
In addition to exercising your data privacy rights, you can take several steps to protect your devices and accounts, therefore, preventing third-party access to your sensitive information.
One crucial step is to protect your accounts by having different and complex passwords. Tools such as password managers can help you generate strong passwords and suggest alternatives for weak ones. In addition, you can take advantage of the two-factor authentication option offered by online retailers, banks, and social networks.
As companies often track your online activity (location, browsing habits, personal interests, etc.), a virtual private network (VPN) can provide privacy from your Internet service provider.
If you are a regular user of the Internet, then chances are your data has already been collected by third parties. To regain control, fill out opting-out forms from information broker sites – a process that can be time-consuming. A much faster option is subscribing to automated data removal tools like Incogni, which send multiple opting-out requests and ensure your sensitive information is not re-acquired in the future.
Bottom Line
It is necessary to know how much data you leave behind on the internet, and regulating this information is more important now than ever. Data privacy combines legal efforts to ensure that your information is not used illegally.
