What does data privacy mean to you ?
As privacy professionals, we use the term privacy on a daily basis; it’s a part of our jobs and our day-to-day lives. But as consumers and users of websites, browsers, technology, and applications, what does privacy mean to us?
Does privacy mean complete anonymity online? Do we expect to use applications and technology that give us accurate and desired results without sharing any piece of ourselves? Or is it about the choices we make? Does privacy mean carefully filtering data before sharing it online, on social media platforms, for example?
Perhaps privacy means clarity and transparency. It means understanding how our data is collected and how it’s used. It could simply mean knowing which companies have access to and how this data is used to enhance our experience online.
Or is privacy about control? Is it about being able to have a say in how information about us is used and being able to make choices about this information? Maybe privacy is about understanding the advantages and disadvantages of sharing our data and then being able to make a reasonable choice based on the information we are given.
Looking at our interpretations of privacy more closely, it’s also interesting to note when we think of our privacy and how often we do so. In the technological age that we live in, everything runs on data; almost all our interactions with technology include the transmission of data. Do we think about our data privacy every time we open LinkedIn or ‘X’? Do we think about our privacy every time we use technology like Alexa or every time we sit in a smart car? Or do we think about privacy when we make our choices on the cookie banners presented to us on websites?
In what context do we worry about our privacy online? Do we worry when we hear about data breaches and data leaks? Do we worry about our data being used for the wrong purposes? Or do we simply prefer having a choice in matters relating to our data?
Whatever the case may be, this privacy week, we are interested in learning about how you interpret your data privacy and what privacy means to you. We can’t wait to see your views and interpretations on our polls.
