Data Privacy Day gives you an excuse to give yourself a checkup

Taking that Facebook quiz to find out your spirit animal might seem like harmless fun, but if you aren’t careful you could be putting your online data at risk. To help combat security threats, the Better Business Bureau is inviting consumers everywhere to participate in Data Privacy Day 2018 this Sunday.

Data Privacy Day is recognized internationally to promote the importance of respecting privacy, safeguarding data, and enabling trust. Data privacy and protection are more important than ever to ensure that personal and business data is secure.

The responsibility for keeping online data secure is a collaborative effort shared by both businesses and the public.

According to a survey conducted by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and Zogby International, only 26 percent of Americans believe “their home computer was safe from viruses” while a mere 21 percent felt safe from hackers.

To help secure customer data, BBB recommends the following business practices:

Be transparent. Be open with clients about how personal information is collected, used and shared. Keep an open dialogue with the public about what privacy means to organizations and how it’s maintained.

Host privacy training. Help employees stay up to date on safe privacy practices both at work and at home. This is important for any employee, whether they have direct contact with a customer or not.

Keep employees accountable. Demonstrate to employees the vital role they play in keeping customers' data secure. Empower employees to take charge of maintaining privacy.

Consumers should be equally vigilant when protecting their personal information. Your BBB recommends the following tips to ensure data privacy:

Be WiFi wise. Not all public wireless networks and hotspots are secure, which could result in someone gaining access to your computer or mobile device. Limit your use of public WiFi and avoid logging into key accounts when you are on a public network.

Lock it up. Just as someone would lock their front door, consumers need to secure their devices. Use strong passwords or passcodes to lock tablets and smartphones. Use two-step verification for added security.

Think before clicking. Be wary of emails, unsolicited phone calls, and text messages requesting personal information.

Want to know more? Go to Stay Safe Online to learn more about Data Privacy Day. You can join the conversation by following #ChatSTC. Your BBB has more privacy tips at bbb.org/data-privacy.

This story was originally published January 26, 2018 at 5:11 PM with the headline "Data Privacy Day gives you an excuse to give yourself a checkup."