Data Privacy Day 2012: What Businesses Can Do

Data Privacy Day is an annual international celebration designed to promote awareness about privacy and educate people about best privacy practices.

On Thursday, January 26, they will be sponsoring a Data Privacy Day event, “The Intersection of Privacy and Security,” featuring the Honorable Julie Brill, Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission.

Although it falls on a Saturday this year, the National Cyber Security Alliance will be celebrating with events throughout January and into February. There will also be a live-streamed Facebook event, accessible here, and live panel discussions on Thursday, January 26th from 9:30 to 11:30 am EST at http://on.fb.me/dctalkslive.

A successful business is a trusted brand that protects customer and employee data, privacy and security. Businesses small and large have opportunities to improve privacy awareness and promote best practices among employees, management, clients, customers, subscribers, partners, and other audiences. Consider doing the following in honor of Data Privacy Day:

Become an official sponsor, partner or champion of Data Privacy Day.
Sponsor or host a Data Privacy Day event in your area.
Ensure that your company has a designated employee in charge of privacy and that you are complying with all applicable privacy laws.
Develop internet privacy policies for your business. The Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection Business Center is a great resource http://business.ftc.gov/privacy.and.security. If you already have policies in place, review and update them to ensure they address current threats and best practices.
Conduct employee training on privacy as it relates to employment, helping employees learn how to protect the privacy of clients’ and customers’ personal information and teaching employees how to manage their own privacy at work.
Host a series of educational events or a brown bag lunch for your employees designed to increase
awareness about data privacy in an area of interest to your employees including: mobile privacy; social networking; identity fraud and theft; online tracking; health privacy; online reputation management. Use materials, posters and videos available at http://www.staysafeonline.org/dpd.
Create a plan in the event the privacy of customer data is compromised by a data breach. Check out the Debix Data Breach Incident Response Workbook for ideas (http://www.debix.com/workbook/index.php).
Communicate with your clients, membership, or workforce about privacy awareness in the month of
January in honor of Data Privacy Day using company newsletters, intranets, networks, and other internal communications. Blog about privacy throughout the month of January. Use social networks such as Facebook and Twitter to disseminate information and encourage customers and employees to learn more about privacy. Feel free to use content found at http://www.staysafeonline.org/dpd.
Become a fan of Data Privacy: NCSA on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DataPrivacyNCSA) and
follow Data Privacy Day on Twitter (@DataPrivacyDay).
Encourage the privacy and security professionals in your workplace to visit local schools to talk with teens about privacy and share the STOP. THINK. CONNECT. message.
Create and disseminate engaging educational materials for your customers, for consumers, for employees or for businesses.
Conduct a study to advance understanding of privacy practices and share the results in honor of Data Privacy Day.
Hold a shredding event to raise awareness about data privacy.