January 28th, 2020 is National Data Privacy Day. The purpose being to raise awareness for both individuals and agencies to make sure that there data, no matter where it is stored, is protected and safe. In an age where we all have smart phones, apps for shopping and banking, as well as multiple social media accounts – our PII information is available across multiple marketing channels and platforms.
It is likely that 2020 will bring a renewed focus on encryption, data management and data consolidation that will help the public sector leverage this data while keeping it safe from data breaches and cyber theft.
With this in mind, here are a few tips on how to check your privacy and data privacy today:
- Check Privacy settings on all social media sites: When I logged into Facebook this morning, there was a notification that prompted me to check my privacy settings, as it’s Data Privacy day. This is something we should all do monthly, but the prompt made me not only check Facebook – but also Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and all my other social media accounts. Really make sure that the Apps that have access to your data on these sites are still ones you want to have access. Make sure that information like your phone number, email, birthday and other PII related data points are being shared with who you want them to be shared with. They seem like simple things, but in our busy lives we sometimes forget who we gave access to and this can lead to our personal data being exposed and stolen.
- Learn and utilize Opt-Outs: Every email ,direct mail and piece of marketing you receive has an Opt-out clause. This can be either in the negative (Please do not sell my name) or Positive (you consent to receive marketing from 3rd parties or like offers). Additionally, every website you visit is tracking your digital footprint via a tracking cookie or the IP address of your device. Most sites give you the opportunity to opt-out of having them track this information. So, make sure you understand and always decide if that site you visited for a new couch is worth being re targeted by every other furniture site on the internet!!!!
- Be Smart – Ask Why a Marketer needs your PII: Every day we are bombarded with telemarketing calls or emails that ask us to provide PII like address, phone number, Social Security number and other valuable data elements. Always ask why this information is needed and how this data will be used. Legitimate marketing offers will be able to clearly spell out what this data is needed for and why it is being requested. They should also give you a way to opt-out of receiving further marketing solicitations. If they can’t offer valid rationale for why they need this information, do not share it. As a marketer, I can tell you that the majority of our industry is above board and we fight to make sure that any data we get is protected. But, like any industry, there are unscrupulous individuals who seek to undermine the trust of the consumers by perpetuating fraud. The point here is be vigilant about protecting your PII and know that any legitimate firm will be able to fully explain the need for this data.
Bedford Street Marketing (www.bedfordstmarketing.com) is here to assist you in protecting your data. Visit us today and let us know if we can collaborate on your next marketing campaign!!
Bedford Street Marketing Insights 