Getting back to basics on privacy

It’s an issue that’s top of mind for Australians right now - protecting our personal information and privacy.

Each year the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s Privacy Awareness Week is an opportunity for us to reset and refresh on things we can do to help keep our information safe.

For information and resources on protecting your privacy, check out the Privacy Awareness Week website here and follow their top 10 privacy protection tips below.

Top 10 tips that you can follow to protect your privacy

1. Value your information

Personal information is valuable, and not just to the person it belongs to.

Treat it like the asset it is. Don’t share it without good reason, and only share what’s necessary.

2. Check if it’s the real deal

Make sure you trust who you share your information with.

Check that the organisation or person is who they say they are and have a good reputation.

If it looks suspicious, don’t risk it.

Scamwatch has some great advice on how to spot a ‘fake’, whether it’s an email, phone call, document or dating profile. Scammers are getting increasingly sophisticated, so staying alert is more important than ever.

Stop and think before you click that button or share that information, and if in doubt – say no.

3. Read privacy policies

If you’re sharing your information, it’s important to be clear on how it will be used.

Check that the privacy practices of the organisations that you deal with are up to scratch.

A good place to start is by reading their privacy policy.

Only provide your information if you understand and are comfortable with how and where it’s going to be used and who it’s going to be shared with.

If you can’t understand an organisation or agency’s privacy policy, ask them to explain it.

You can find Latrobe Health’s privacy policy here.

4. Update privacy settings

Always check what you are saying ‘yes’ to.

Many websites, apps, and devices share your personal information by default. Are you sharing any information that you’d rather keep private?

For example, your location data can be combined with other information to create a rich picture about you. It might reveal how you travel to work, where you live, and where you are right now. That’s not necessarily information you’d want to share with just anyone.

Website cookies can help websites work more efficiently, but they can also be used to record your behaviour online and share information about you with third parties

Make an informed choice. Choose your advertising preferences. Say ‘no’ to cookies (or delete them) if that is your preference. And consider limiting things like location tracking.

5. Protect your accounts

Use multi-factor authentication and strong passphrases to protect your accounts.

Passphrases are made up of 4 or more random words, making them longer (and safer) than a traditional password. This makes them harder to guess but easy to remember.

If multi-factor authentication is given as an option for a system or app you are on, use it. It provides an important extra layer of security for your accounts.

6. Protect your devices

Make the most of security updates for your devices and apps by installing them promptly when they are rolled out.

You can usually turn on an option for updates to be made automatically, so you don’t miss out on an important one.

And be prepared by setting up and performing regular backups – just in case.

For devices that are too old for upgrades, if you can afford to, it may be worth getting a replacement, so you are not left with a vulnerable device.

7. Social media caution

The information you share may be given to other organisations without your explicit consent. It can also be used to steal your identity or cause you harm in other ways.

Draw boundaries between what you share publicly and with those you trust. Consider making your social media accounts private.

Always question why you are being asked for information. Is it necessary? Is it of benefit to you? And most importantly, is it safe?

And don’t forget to make sure friends and family are happy to be tagged in posts before clicking that button.

8. Tidy up

Don’t need it? Destroy it (securely).

We have information about ourselves around us all the time. If some of that information ends up where it’s not meant to, it can be used for identity theft or other purposes.

Make sure you destroy personal information before throwing it out, and wipe data from old devices.

The same applies online – make sure you delete accounts you no longer need. And treat your email like you do your confidential papers – take care where it goes and what you leave sitting around.

Do some housekeeping and delete old emails you don’t need, especially if they include private information, or store them somewhere secure.

9.  Act quickly if things go wrong

Sometimes things go wrong. If your privacy is breached, act quickly to reduce your risk of harm.

Steps you can take include:

·       Changing your passphrases.

·       Watching out for phone or email scams.

·       Checking your credit report.

·       Checking your financial accounts for suspicious activity.

If you have any questions, contact the relevant agency (for example, Medicare, the Australian Taxation Office, or your healthcare provider, if the data breach relates to health information).

You should also keep a record of any action you take or help you get. This may be useful if you experience harm as a result of the data breach.

10. Talk about privacy

Protecting privacy is important at all ages, but it’s not necessarily something people talk about. Make a point of talking about privacy with your friends and family, and especially children.

It’s essential young people understand how important their privacy is as soon as they start using digital devices and going online.

You may also be able to help others you know be more confident in navigating online privacy settings, and having good privacy measures in place.

And you may even find yourself picking up a privacy tip or two as well!

What’s next?

Head on over to the Privacy 101 for Individual’s website here to learn more and test your knowledge with their privacy awareness quiz.

For information and resources on protecting your privacy, check out the Privacy Awareness Week website here.