Today is Data Privacy Day! Join us in practicing privacy mindfulness.
A word from UD’s Chief Privacy Officer, PC Shea
COVID-19 dominated every aspect of UD’s operations in 2020 including UD’s ongoing efforts to maintain the privacy of its information assets. Among other things, COVID-19 required UD to move to an online education platform and to test faculty, staff, and students for the virus. These changes created new information and new sources of information; new ways to access it; and new openings for hackers.
Each of us has a part to play in protecting personal data, both your own and UD’s. If you notice something suspicious, report it to the Chief Information Security Officer (secadmin@udel.edu) or to me (pcshea@udel.edu). We have vetted a plan to respond to these reports to minimize the risk they create for the University. Use common sense in opening links included in emails or responding to emails from people you do not know. If a third party notifies you of a breach or other incident involving UD information, please report that to secadmin@udel.edu as well.
Following University and departmental policies and procedures regarding the use and disclosure of information will go a long way in helping UD keep its information assets safe and secure.
Register for a free Data Privacy Day webcast
The National Cyber Security Alliance provides many awareness programs to empower users at home, work and school with the information they need to keep sensitive information safe and secure online and encourage a culture of cybersecurity. One of these programs is StaySafeOnline.
StaySafeOnline is hosting a free webcast on January 28, 12pm (registration required) exploring several interesting social implications for data privacy, including featured sessions on Privacy and Poverty, Privacy Considerations for Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives, and How COVID-19 Changed Data Privacy.
Learn more and register now: https://staysafeonline.org/event/data-privacy-day-2021/
Time for a privacy check-in
StaySafeOnline put together a set of guides for managing your privacy settings covering many major websites, from Amazon to Zoom, GrubHub to Google.
Learn more and update your privacy settings: https://staysafeonline.org/stay-safe-online/managing-your-privacy/manage-privacy-settings/
Top tips for managing your privacy
- If you signed up for any new services during the pandemic (delivery, streaming, etc.), check your account settings to limit how much data they access and share and to enable security features like two-factor authentication.
- Download any new desktop or mobile apps or browser extensions in the last year? Make sure you check which permissions they have. Your grocery app probably doesn’t need access to your contacts…
- Using Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive for work? Check your file and folder permissions to make sure you’re not oversharing.
What we’re reading
Joint Statement on Data Protection and Privacy in the COVID-19 Response (WHO)
The World Health Organization released a statement late last year highlighting the value of big data in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. But they’re also quick to caution against oversharing and overuse of personal data (which, through COVID tracking apps, check-ins, and other mechanisms could include your geolocation data and medical information), warning that privacy is a human right and must be preserved.
We’re all waiting to see what the “new normal” becomes as vaccines are distributed and the world, laboriously, reopens. Human rights and privacy experts hope that the data collection practices thrust into service during the pandemic will subside, and that we won’t be subject to the same degree of monitoring once things stabilize.