PRIVACY v/s CONVENIENCE

While chatting with privacy pros and non-privacy folks on a regular basis, one question I usually get is "I want everything to be convenient for me, and so I give permissions wherever needed. How can I ensure I am protecting my personal information?

Here are 10 simple ways in which you can safeguard your personal data while optimizing your convenience:

1. Download apps that you trust, read online reviews of the creators or similar apps before you allow them to access all your personal information.
2. If you are unsure, do not download apps. Enquire with the data protection team what they do with your data and ask as many questions as you want, until you are sure.
3. Remember you are the data subject, and you have rights. If the organization does not make you feel this way - red flag.
4. Achieving data privacy is a shared journey - starting with young kids to old people, at home or in the business.
5. Transparency is a green flag that the organization has nothing to hide, and they want you to know what they are doing to safeguard your data.
6. Being aware of your rights is very important. This may differ geographically but be sure of the fact that you have ample rights to exercise concerning your personal.
7. Regularly review where your personal information is, and if the app / organization still needs it. If there is any correction that needs to be made, do it right away.
8. Connect with privacy pros - you will find that many of us are here to help you understand basics and guide you to understand how you can protect your data.
9. Educate the young ones around you. It is everyone's responsibility to be aware and make others aware of the importance of data privacy.
10. Follow the news regularly. If you happen to see news about a certain app which you have downloaded, stop and see what it is about. These days, you will see many suits claiming their data is not safe. Use this as a red flag to know how much to share on these platforms.