We live in a time where it’s nearly impossible to go a few days without reading a story about data breaches and hacks that expose millions of personal data to cybercriminals. As a result, people are looking for ways to keep their information secure online.
But it’s important to understand how to safeguard the personal data that you input into your digital business in order to comply with your legal obligations and protect the privacy of your customers. Here are some helpful tips to help you achieve this.
1. Identify Personal Data
According to the laws protecting data, personal data is any information that can be used to identify or be used to identify an individual. In today’s digital age, this can include anything from emails to biometric information. Many types of information, which could be considered personal, can be removed if certain conditions are met. For instance when an organization collects a range of data on individuals and they’re all asked to declare their occupation, that’s likely not personal data since it can’t be used to identify a single person.
Many companies are required by law to limit the amount personal information they collect. This is generally an excellent thing since it lowers the risk of the possibility of a data breach. Additionally, the majority of data protection laws require a higher level security for sensitive personal data than normal personal data. This is because it could be more harmful or damaging consequences for data subjects should a breach occur.