Celebrating the Importance of #DataPrivacyDay
Data Privacy Day, or as we call it Data Protection Day, is January 28, 2020.
The Council of Europe commemorated Data Protection Day in 2006, on the “anniversary of the opening for signature of the Council of Europe’s Convention 108 for the Protection of Individuals with regard to automatic processing of personal data which has been for over 30 years a cornerstone of data protection, in Europe and beyond.” (https://www.coe.int/en/web/data-protection/data-protection-day)
In the EU, we still call it Data Protection Day, but the celebration has expanded to be a global movement where the day goes by Data Privacy Day. Today, folks from all over the world celebrate Data Privacy Day by raising awareness and informing individuals about their data privacy rights.
What is data privacy? Or data protection?
Answering two questions could take an entire book, or maybe a series of books. In the interest of time, we’ll go with being clear and straightforward. According to Wikipedia, data privacy or data protection “is the relationship between the collection and dissemination of data, technology, the public expectation of privacy, legal and political issues surrounding them.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_privacy#cite_note-2)
In other words, data privacy is the right to have control over what information you share and how it’s used.
How to protect your data privacy
Whether you’re new to the data privacy movement or an OG in the movement, there’s always something you can to improve your data protection tactics. Here are some easy tips:
- Start with Startpage: Make Startpage your default search engine. With Startpage, you can search and browse the web without leaving a trace.
- Limit personal data: Oversharing online can be a dangerous habit. Before making personal data public, take a moment to think about how it can be used to profile you or hack you.
- Upgrade your defenses: Invest a little time and look into what privacy protection devices or services would be ideal for your needs. For first steps, check out our guide to leveling up on protecting your privacy: https://startpage.gg/blog/privacy-awareness/level-privacy-2020/
Celebrate #DataPrivacyDay2020
Join us on our social media channels as we celebrate #DataPrivacyDay2020!
- If you’re on Facebook, you can use the Startpage Data Privacy Day frame to anonymize your profile photo.
- Check out #PrivacyDayCountdown for facts and tips we’ve been sharing for the past week. Help your community learn more about how they can protect their data!
You can also join gatherings all over the world. International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) is partnering with Stay Safe Online to celebrate Data Privacy Day. IAPP’s KnowledgeNet chapters are hosting in-person events throughout January 2020. To see if they’re an event in your area, check out: https://iapp.org/connect/data-privacy-day/. Don’t want to leave your home? Check out Stay Safe Online’s livestream: https://staysafeonline.org/dpd20-live/.
We also encourage you to learn a little more about privacy leaders that have paved the way and/or continue to fight for your data privacy. Check out our list below for some of our favorite privacy leaders.
Martin Luther King, Jr. is known for his remarkable work in pushing forward the Civil Rights Movement. But! Let’s not forget the FBI kept tight surveillance on him. If you’re not familiar with COINTELPRO, it makes for some interesting reading. Regardless, his legacy lives on in our work to protect data privacy.
Phil Zimmermann created Pretty Good Privacy (PGP), the most widely used email encryption software in the world. In the original 1991 PGP User’s Guide, Zimmermann says he wrote PGP because “It’s personal. It’s private. And it’s no one’s business but yours… ” To read the full text on why he wrote it: https://www.philzimmermann.com/EN/essays/WhyIWrotePGP.html.
You’ve probably heard about Edward Snowden, but did you know he was trapped in an airport for 40 days? Snowden’s release of NSA material is the most significant leak in US history since 1978, revealing the NSA was unconstitutionally seizing the private records of billions of individuals who had not been suspected of any wrongdoing. It prompted a global conversation on data privacy.
Max Schrems is known as the man who took on Facebook and won. He is an Austrian privacy activist and lawyer He’s also a co-founder of NOYB – European Center for Digital Right, a non-profit committed to launching court cases in support of EU privacy law and GDPR.
Bruce Schneier is called the “security guru” by The Economist. He’s written 14 books, including “Data and Goliath: The Hidden Battles to Collect Your Data and Control Your World.” He’s also on the board for Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) among other organizations.
Who’s this guy? Lol. Robert E.G. Beens is Co-founder and CEO of Startpage. Something you may not know about Robert is that he’s also a commercial flight pilot. He literally flies all over the world, spreading awareness on data privacy.
Did we miss someone? Tweet us, DM us, leave a comment on one of our posts. We want to hear from you! Maybe we’ll highlight your favorite privacy leader next time. Remember to protect your personal data all year-round. Happy Data Privacy Day!
Privacy Pro Tip: If you’re on social media, do yourself a favor and do a privacy audit. How much personal data are you sharing? Are you sharing personal details such as your birthday, home/work address, or location. You can use our privacy frame to make your profile picture extra private.
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