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Your guide to celebrating Data Privacy Day 2023

Protect your privacy, raise awareness... and celebrate! Your guide to celebrating Data Privacy Day 2023 (with all the resources you need to mark the occasion)

Robb Hiscock, Content Marketing Specialist | CIPP/E, CIPM
January 25, 2023

Photo of crowd walking on sidewalk with cars passing by

This year will mark the 16th annual celebration of Data Privacy Day and so much has changed in the privacy and data protection landscape in those 16 years. The privacy world has seen wholesale changes to privacy legislation across the world, new international frameworks adopted and struck down in the courts (and then amended, adopted, and struck down again… and then amended and adopted again), and a huge shift in public awareness of privacy.  

With each passing year, the privacy landscape becomes more complex. At times, navigating the online world can feel perilous – individuals and organizations must consider more requirements than ever before. That’s why Data Privacy Day represents such an important moment on the calendar for businesses and individuals alike to pause and take stock. This guide will supply you with everything you need to celebrate Data Privacy Day 2023, from OneTrust-hosted events, ideas for how you can raise privacy awareness at your organization, and tips to protect your personal privacy.  

 

On-demand webinar coming soon...

On-demand webinar coming soon...

 

What is Data Privacy Day?

Data Privacy Day, an annual celebration of privacy and data protection, was originally conceived by the Council of Europe in 2006.  The celebration marks the anniversary of Convention 108 – the first legally binding international treaty relating to data protection – being opened for signature in 1981. Data Protection Day (as it was initially known) was first celebrated on January 28, 2007. In 2009, January 28 was recognized as National Data Privacy Day in the US. Commonly referred to as Data Privacy Day, it has now become an event on the global calendar.

 

Graphic outlining the history of data privacy with key dates of 1981, 2007, 2009 and 2022

 

More recently, Data Privacy Day celebrations have extended to span a whole week or even the entire month of January, with the primary aim of raising awareness of privacy and data protection best practices.  

How can I celebrate Data Privacy Day this year?

Each year, Data Privacy Day represents a moment for organizations and individuals to educate themselves and those around them about privacy. Celebrating Data Privacy Day looks different to everyone. Some may want to read up on that particular topic they can’t ever find the time for. Some may prefer to join an event and listen to what the experts have to say. Others may want to educate those around them by circulating educational materials.   

This year OneTrust has put together a full program of events for you to join, including panels hosted by our regional Chapter Chairs and OneTrust-hosted discussions with expert panelists. See the full list below:  

Upcoming webinars for Data Privacy Day

January 24

  • Spain – Evaluaciones de impacto a la privacidad (PIA)  

January 25

  • Germany – Herausforderungen im Datenschutz 2023  

January 26

  • Italy – Data Privacy Day: Cos’ è cambiato e prospettive future  
  • US – Data Privacy Day: Protiviti & OneTrust 

January 31

  • Global – Data Privacy Day 2023: Keeping up and staying ahead  
  • PrivacyConnect San Jose – What does Data Privacy Day mean to you?  

February 1

  • PrivacyConnect Vienna – Cyberattacks: Lessons learned and must-haves​ 

February 2

  • PrivacyConnect Bucharest – AI must serve us all: A look into the near regulatory horizon ​ 
  • France – Webinar démo live RGPD 
  • PrivacyConnect Barcelona – Data Privacy Day: Claves de 2022 y retos para 2023

Register for all the events listed above here

 

We have also produced a range of downloadable materials for you to use to raise privacy awareness among your employees. Using those materials, you might choose to hold a privacy workshop or you might opt to include them in a company-wide email highlighting some of your privacy team’s successes over the past year. Whichever way you choose to raise awareness this Data Privacy Day, here are a few materials to get you started: 

  • Your Data Privacy Day 2023 handbook – This eBook provides the who, what, and whys of Data Privacy Day, as well as profiling some of the most prominent privacy and data protection laws from around the world. The eBook also includes  a snapshot into the history of Data Privacy Day and an email template for communicating Data Privacy Day to your colleagues. Download it here
  • OneTrust Data Privacy Day quiz sheet – Got 30 minutes? Use this 20-question quiz to test the privacy knowledge of your peers. You could even incentivize a little friendly competition by awarding  the winner a prize. Download it here
  • OneTrust privacy awareness-raising posters – Send these digital posters across your organizations to promote some top tips for personal privacy and spark conversations about keeping safe online. Download them here (Poster 1 | Poster 2 | Poster 3 | Poster 4 | Poster 5)  

 

How can I protect my personal privacy online?

The internet is a scary place. At every turn, you can be confronted by a potential scam or scheme to steal your personal information. Companies can track your behavior and, in some cases, even your location. You can strike up a decent conversation, only to discover you were messaging an AI-powered chat bot. So, it really does pay to arm yourself with a little knowledge to keep you and your browsing habits safe. Check out the infographic below where we’ve highlighted 14 different ways you can protect yourself online. Here are a few in more detail: 

  • Limit the personal information you share on social media – Look, we get it. You want to share that moodily-lit photo of your expensive dinner from that hyper-exclusive restaurant. But limiting exactly what you share on social media can have a big impact on your personal privacy. If you do want to share certain information online, consider making use of the privacy settings on the website or even on the browser you are using.  
  • Don’t click links or open attachments from suspicious or unknown emails – It may sound obvious, but as we’ve re-emerged into a post-pandemic world with an added reliance on digitalization, phishing scams are at an all-time high –  many of which are convincing and sophisticated. So, think twice before opening that attachment from someone you don’t know. 
  • Know your privacy rights and how to exercise them in your state or country – The Beastie Boys once told us we need to fight for our right to party. At OneTrust, we say you need to fight for your right to privacy. That starts with knowing your rights and how you can exercise them. Most modern privacy laws grant individuals the right to access the information a business holds on them and in many cases, there is also a right to request that information be erased.  
  • Opt-out of data collection by using universal preference signals – Universal preference signals may sound like scary tech jargon, but in actuality, they are commonplace and quite easy to use. In layman’s terms, universal preference signals allow you have greater control over how your information is used online and can be set up in only a few clicks through your browser settings.  

 

Infographic outlining 14 ways to protect your own privacy

 

OneTrust regularly produces a range of resources for you to utilize and are another great way to understand the digital world we live in and how to navigate it. Check out the OneTrust Blog to read more about the latest trends in privacy and insight into trending news. Head over to the OneTrust Resources page, where you will find webinars, infographics, checklists, eBooks, and more to help you put your knowledge into practice. Additionally, OneTrust DataGuidance offers a huge range of expert research materials that can help you gain an in-depth understanding of global privacy laws and hear from practicing privacy experts on how to deal with the latest and greatest topics in the privacy and data protection world.  

Check out OneTrust’s full schedule of Data Privacy Day events here or let us know how you’re celebrating via LinkedIn. Happy Data Privacy Day! 


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