Data Privacy Day: Respecting Privacy and Safeguarding Data

Unbeknownst to many, Data Privacy Day pops up every year on January 28. And it will do so again, to little fanfare. But a lack of cultural awareness regarding the designation doesn’t negate the significance of its message.

Data Privacy Day was created to draw attention to cybersecurity. It’s been around since 1981, when an international treaty addressing privacy and data protection was signed, and in 2014 Congress made National Data Privacy Day official in the U.S.

The world’s grown much smaller in the 30 years since that treaty was signed. Protecting personal data in a global marketplace is challenging. Consumers’ financial data and personal information floats in the digital cloud, potentially vulnerable to relentless hackers and online thieves. Simple precautions such as regularly changing your passwords can make a big difference.

Data Privacy Day serves as a reminder to take cybersecurity seriously. Check out Arkansas Federal’s fraud and identity theft page for more tips on keeping your personal data safe.