How To Take Control of Your Data: Data Privacy vs. Data Protection
According to research, the global data monetization market is projected to be worth $6.1 billion by 2025. Two of the benefits of this growing data market are; more personalized online experiences for users and more effective lead generation for businesses. However, in this win-win scenario there are also many challenges, including the illegal procurement and use of sensitive information. This is why it’s important for users to understand the difference between data privacy and data protection, as well as, strategies for both in order to protect their personal information.
What Is The Difference Between Data Privacy and Data Protection?
Data privacy focuses on access, regulation and policy surrounding data, while data protection focuses on tools and procedures to preserve data integrity.
Data privacy laws regulate how personal data is collected, used, shared, and protected. Data protection is the process or strategy of safeguarding data from theft, corruption, loss or compromise.
The 4 Data Protection Principles
In line with the GDPR, companies should follow their overarching data protection regulation guidelines. These include:
- Data should be collected lawfully, fairly and transparently from users.
- Companies should use data solely for the purpose it was collected. In other words, a company should not reuse data for secondary purposes.
- Data collection should be minimized, meaning that businesses should not gather more data than is necessary to deliver a service.
Businesses must handle data collection and storage with integrity and confidentiality. This means that data is safeguarded and protected against external risks and access is limited solely to the individuals utilizing the data for service delivery.
5 Methods For Protecting Your Data
While data protection is, by no means, limited to these practices, here are 5 ways you can better protect your data as a user:
- Back your data up regularly – There are many data backup software solutions that can automate this process.
- Keep your business software up to date – to ensure you’re benefitting from the latest cybersecurity protection capabilities.
- Install antivirus software – on both your home and work devices. Some operating systems already come with built-in antivirus software.
- Install a VPN – when browsing the internet route your data through an encrypted virtual tunnel and protect it from external risks.
- Use multi-factor authentication – on all of your devices to add an extra security layer any time you log into a personal or business account online.
The UK Data Protection Act Is Paving The Way For The U.S.
The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation Act is paving the way for a ‘rights-based’ approach in four U.S. states – Colorado, Utah, Connecticut and Virginia. In addition to following the EU’s approach to data protection, the United States has passed hundreds of data protection laws in both the federal and state governments. These laws ensure that data is safeguarded and not collected without users’ knowledge and consent.
What You Should Know About Data Privacy
The 3 Pillars of Data Privacy
The three pillars of data privacy are Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability, known as CIA. Together, these pillars form a framework for data privacy policy and access regulation.
- Confidentiality – involves ensuring that data is only accessed by authorized parties.
- Integrity – ensures that data is accurate and reliable, and it hasn’t been tampered with.
- Availability – ensures that data is accessible when it’s needed.
The 4 Types of Data Privacy
The four most common types of data privacy include:
- Personal and residential information privacy – involves personally identifiable information related to an individual’s background, including their name, address, cell phone number, email address, etc.
- Financial privacy – relating to all information and data regarding an individual’s financial details.
- Medical privacy – concerns data related to someone’s medical history and current medical records.
- Biometric data privacy – relates to a person’s login information and credentials based on biometric data, such as financial pin codes and passwords, etc.
3 Ways to Increase Your Data Privacy
Three major ways to increase and improve your data privacy include:
- Use stronger, more complex passwords with two-factor authentication.
- Remove any unused or inactive mobile apps and browser extensions from your phone and other devices.
- Limit unnecessary third-party app connection sign-ins. When a site or application gives you the option to sign in using an existing social media account or digital profile, it is more secure to sign in manually by creating a direct account.
How Invisibly Is Giving You Back Control Of Your Data
With Invisibly, you’re in full control of the data you choose to share, and how you choose to share it. In exchange for your actively consented data, you get access to a host of premium brand rewards.
Here’s how Invisibly works:
1. Create an Invisibly account, fill in your profile information to tell us more about you, and start earning points right away.
2. Earn points from answering surveys or connecting your account(s). Invisibly will not have access to your credentials, balances, or be able to perform actions from your connected accounts.
3. Use your points to redeem premium rewards from our growing roster of brands like Target, Best Buy, Ulta Beauty, and many more.
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