What is Data Protection Day?
Data Protection Day is an annual event that raises awareness about the importance of data protection and privacy. The day also promotes dialogue and cooperation between individuals, organisations, and governments, on issues related to data protection and privacy.
The purpose of Data Protection Day is to raise awareness about the importance of data protection and privacy, and to promote dialogue and cooperation between individuals, organisations, and governments on these issues.
Data Protection Day originated in Europe, where it is known as Data Privacy Day. In 2007, the European Commission launched a campaign to promote Data Privacy Day in all 27 EU member states. The campaign was so successful that it led to the creation of an international observance day by the Council of Europe in 2008.
Since then, Data Protection Day has been celebrated annually on January 28th in over 50 countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, India, Brazil, Mexico, Kenya, South Africa, and many more.
When is Data Protection Day?
Data Protection Day is celebrated annually on January 28th.
How can organisations keep their data safe?
It is important for organisations to have a clear and concise data protection framework in place. The policies and procedures for staff to follow, contained within the data protection framework, should outline how staff should manage data and comply with the data protection legislation.
Training employees in data protection.
All employees should receive training on the organisation’s data protection policy and procedures. This training should include how to properly collect, use, and protect sensitive data. Employees should also be made aware of the consequences of violating the policy.
Using data encryption.
Data encryption is an effective way to protect sensitive information from being accessed by unauthorised individuals. All sensitive data should be encrypted when it is stored on computers or other electronic devices.
Backing up data.
Backing up data regularly is crucial to protecting it from being lost or corrupted. Data should be backed up to an external storage device, or cloud-based service.
What are the consequences of not protecting data?
If an organisation fails to protect its data, it may face financial penalties from regulators. In the UK, the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) imposes fines of up to 4% of a company’s global annual revenue or £17.5 million (whichever is greater), for serious infringements of the GDPR.
Loss of customer trust.
Another consequence of not protecting data is the loss of customer trust. If customers’ personal data is leaked, they will likely lose trust in the organisation and take their business elsewhere. This can have a significant impact on an organisation’s bottom line.
Competitive disadvantages.
Finally, if an organisation does not protect its data, it may also find itself at a competitive disadvantage. Customers and businesses are increasingly interested in working with companies that have strong data security practices in place. Organisations that do not protect their data may find themselves at a disadvantage when trying to win new business..
Conclusion
Data Protection Day is an important day to raise awareness of the importance of data protection and how to keep your organisation’s data safe. There are a number of steps organisations can take to protect their data, including establishing a data protection framework, training employees in data protection, using data encryption, backing up data, and more. The consequences of not protecting data can be severe, including financial penalties, loss of customer trust, and competitive disadvantages.
Data Protection Day is a good reminder for all organisations to review their data protection practices and make sure they are doing everything they can to keep their data safe.
If you would like to improve your organisation’s data protection understanding, consider taking one of our upcoming training courses. You can find our schedule here. Alternatively, get in touch with the team to discuss how we could help you.
