“With so much noise surrounding cybersecurity, people and businesses are often left with the dangerous misperception that there is nothing they can do on their own to manage their digital privacy or that it is an ‘all-or-nothing proposition’ – but the reality is quite different,” said Lisa Plaggemier, Interim Executive Director of the National Cybersecurity Alliance. “With just a little bit of clear guidance and tips, individuals and businesses can take back control of their digital lives, identify the most trustworthy partners and strike the perfect balance between privacy and convenience. That’s why we have expanded Data Privacy Day into a full week-long initiative so that we can provide a huge slate of content and events that individuals and businesses can tap into so that they can take back control of their digital lives.”

This year’s Data Privacy Week content and events are centered around two key themes:

• Theme #1: Keep It Private: A Guidebook for Consumers – Everything you do online generates data. There’s data about your activities, behaviors, and interests. There’s your personal data, like your social security and driver’s license numbers. And there’s data about the physical you, like health data. It’s easy to feel a lack of control over the information collected about you. However, there are steps you can take to learn about the types of data you’re generating online, and how it’s collected, shared and used. And with that, this year’s Data Privacy Week will provide in-depth guides, tips and insights that can help individuals better navigate the digital world and encourage others to do the same.

• Theme #2: Respect Privacy: Tips for Businesses – According to the Pew Research Center, 79% of U.S. adults report being concerned about the way their data is being used by companies. Respecting consumers’ privacy is a smart strategy for inspiring trust and enhancing reputation and growth in your business. To help promote this, the National Cybersecurity Alliance and its partners will be diving into the best ways for businesses to build a culture that prioritizes digital privacy throughout the week.

In addition to to a host of educational materials, key events scheduled for Data Privacy Week include:

• CyberSecure My Business Webinar: Respecting Privacy: Managing Data – On January 25, 2022 at 2p.m. EST, experts will discuss the importance of responsibly managing the personal information you collect and establishing data privacy and security practices in your organization. Register here.

• The Data Privacy Balancing Act – On January 26, 2022 at 12p.m. EST, Data Privacy Week 2022, hosted by the National Cybersecurity Alliance and LinkedIn, will convene data privacy experts from industry, government, academia, and non-profit for an afternoon of discussions on hot topics in privacy, including online tracking, adding privacy to awareness trainings, data collection for D&I initiatives, and more. Register here.

• Twitter Chat: #DataPrivacyChat – On January 27, 2022 at 2p.m. EST, tune into a data privacy discussion on Twitter. Contact jennifer@staysafeonline.org to receive the twitter chat questions in advance.

“As a global leader in Cyber Safety, NortonLifeLock is proud to be the lead sponsor of this year’s Data Privacy Week,” said Petros Efstathopoulos, Global Head of Research for NortonLifeLock. “Consumers continue to spend more time online than ever before, and this week exemplifies the increasing interest and need to protect online privacy. Understanding privacy in the physical world is second nature – closing doors and keeping personal information out of sight – but protecting digital footprints from companies and websites that track online activity and collect personal data can be less intuitive. We are proud to be the digital ally for consumers, empowering them with the knowledge and tools needed to live their digital lives safely.”

Data Privacy Week builds on the success of Data Privacy Day which began in the United States and Canada in January 2008 as an extension of Data Protection Day in Europe. Data Protection Day commemorates the January 28, 1981 signing of Convention 108, the first legally binding international treaty dealing with privacy and data protection.

For more information, visit https://stagestaysafe.wpengine.com/data-privacy-week/about-dpw/.

About National Cybersecurity Alliance

The National Cybersecurity Alliance is a non-profit organization on a mission to create a more secure, interconnected world. We advocate for the safe use of all technology and educate everyone on how best to protect ourselves, our families, and our organizations from cybercrime. We create strong partnerships between governments and corporations to amplify our message and to foster a greater “digital” good. National Cybersecurity Alliance’s core efforts include Cybersecurity Awareness Month (October); Data Privacy Week (Jan. 24-28th); and CyberSecure My Business™, which offers webinars, web resources and workshops to help businesses be resistant to and resilient from cyberattacks. For more information, please visit https://stagestaysafe.wpengine.com.

Contact Information:
Jennifer Cook
National Cybersecurity Alliance
jennifer@staysafeonline.org