When personal computers came of age in the 1990s, few of us imagined how they would revolutionize our lives. Unfortunately, few of us could have foreseen the downside of the digital world in terms of criminal activity and loss of our privacy.
Before the commercialization of personal consumers, our information was kept on cards or paper. We didn’t worry about the consequences of having our private information on file. Technological limitations made it impractical to steal and sell private information on a wide scale like we see today.
We now understand that the same technology that allows us to read, shop, communicate and share has been subverted to commit fraud and steal our identities. It happens quickly, and most of us are justifiably unhappy about the interconnection of our personal information with the internet and failure of major entities to prevent digital robberies.
On this Privacy Awareness Day, we should keep two things in mind.
The first, is that once we give out our information, we lose control of it. That data can be stolen or laid bare for the world to see. This includes where we live and work, our banking information, details about our family members and friends and virtually everything we never intended to share with strangers.
The second, is that we sometimes share too much information. None of us can prevent high tech data theft, however, we can and should be more stingy with our addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses and more.
We are constantly being asked for personal information and tend to disclose it, without thinking about the consequences. Not every entity or individual that asks for our data is entitled to have it. Once we disclose our telephone numbers or addresses for store discount cards, free trial offers, charities, vendors or website registration, we don’t know whether that information will be sold or how it might be used.
The situation is not entirely bleak. Consumer advocates and some legislators are pushing for limits on the collection, storage and use of our personal information. Major retail and government data breaches have pushed the privacy issue to the forefront and are forcing those entities to do a better job of protecting our precious information, and that of our children, family and friends.
The roars of protest are being heard and acted upon. This spring, Social Security Numbers will no longer be used as Medicare identification numbers. That will go a long way towards addressing fears and problems that we didn’t have in the 1990s, but more has to be done.
Think twice about answering marketing surveys when filling out a product guarantee or other paperwork. Learn everything you can about ways to strengthen the digital technology that surrounds us all.
Worrying about it is not enough. Most of us are still trying to come to grips with the way our data is being handled – or mishandled. Now that we are learning about how we become victims of fraud and identity theft, it is time to be more proactive in the battle to maintain or at least contain our personal information.