5 New Online Privacy New Year's Resolutions

BY: 

Dave Forde
January 8, 2013

As they continue to fight the good fight against privacy, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner issued a list of five Online Privacy New Year’s Resolutions this week:

Commissioner Cavoukian recommends these five simple New Year’s resolutions:

  1. I will review my social network privacy settings regularly.
  2. Always understand what you are sharing online and who can see it. Take the time to carefully review the privacy settings for each social network and application you are using. For example, it has become quite common for many applications to add time and geo-location data to photos, thereby allowing anyone to track your location. Remember – these settings can change at any time without your consent, so the onus is on you, the user, to be aware.
  3. I will think before I click!
    Once you post online, it is very difficult to erase. Numerous new companies have appeared with the sole intent of “cleaning up” online histories.  This is completely unnecessary if you proactively consider what you are posting online. Consider what a future employer or a scholarship funder might think of a post. Carefully evaluate what an identity thief might be able to do with the information you are sharing.
  4. I will always consider the five W’s of personal information.Privacy
    Whether you are purchasing a product online or joining a new social network, minimize the amount of personal information you give out. Always evaluate if the website or application really needs so much information to provide you with a service. When divulging information, think about the following five W’s: Who wants it and who will have access to it? Why do they want it? What will it be used for? Where will your information be stored? When will your information be used and when will it be discarded?
  5. I will make my passwords unique.
    With numerous programs circulating to break passwords, it is important to keep them difficult to decrypt, but also easy to remember. One straight-forward solution is to use the same word in two languages (i.e. home and maison).  To make it even more difficult to break, use the phonetic spelling of one of the words. The addition of numbers, symbols, and capital letters will also help to ensure strong protection (i.e. Home7Mayzon$).
  6. I will carefully read the fine print.
    It is imperative that you understand the terms and conditions of any application or program before clicking agree. Buried within this information can be permissions for companies to share your personal information and online habits without your knowledge. (We know this is a tough one – we’re asking for a lot!)

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Dave Forde


Dave “The Connector” Forde has been involved in the marketing, public relations and technology industry across Canada for over 20 years in various sales and marketing roles, he launched The Connected One network of business sites which connects buyers to the right sellers. Profectio and PR In Canada covers news about the marketing and public relations industry each day helping professionals advance their career and businesses. He also serves as an advisor to a number of businesses across the country. Find Dave on LinkedIn and Twitter.


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