Data Privacy Week is an international effort to empower individuals and businesses to respect privacy, safeguard data, and enable trust. All your online activity generates a trail of data, from your purchases and interests to your online behavior, and it is collected by websites, apps, devices, services, and companies worldwide. You cannot control how each little piece of data about you and your family is collected. However, you have a say in your data privacy.  The key is better managing your personal information and making informed decisions about who receives your data.

At its core, privacy is the fundamental right to control access to your personal life and information. This includes the right to keep specific details unseen or undisturbed by others.   Since most of us are constantly connected to the internet nowadays, privacy includes how information about us and our families is used and shared.

Your data is collected daily on your computer, smartphone, and other internet-connected data-gathering device, including your wristwatch and car! The thing to remember is that you have choices when it comes to how this data is collected, shared, and sold.

Personal data can be stored indefinitely. It can infer socioeconomic status, demographic information, and preferences. Even seemingly innocuous information, such as your favorite restaurants or items you purchase online, can be used to make assumptions about you and your habits. Many companies monitor the data of their users and consumers and sell it for profit.

Data privacy centers on the right to protect personal information online. The sheer volume of daily data—from names and birthdates to medical records and browsing habits—is staggering. Businesses and advertisers highly value these vast amounts of data.  They collect it to create tailored ads, track purchasing trends, and study behavior. Often, companies “anonymize” data before selling it, but this anonymization doesn’t entirely remove the privacy risk.

Your personal data includes identifiable information such as your name, address, phone number, date of birth, and Social Security number. It also includes data about your online behavior, such as the websites you visit, the products you buy, and even how long you stay on a webpage. Spending a few minutes streaming a video, perusing a webpage, or playing around on an app creates millions of data points.

You may wonder why data privacy matters if “everything is already online.” Think back to when you searched for a product, and suddenly, ads appeared everywhere. Or you’ve downloaded an app that demands access to your contacts or emails, which it then sells to advertisers.  In these scenarios, your data is being manipulated without your consent.

Here’s why data privacy matters:

Some data sharing is unavoidable. Many services, like navigation apps, require some data to function. Understand these limits so you can focus on what you can control.

When apps or websites request access, ask yourself: Why does this app need this information? Simple games may ask for location data, which is likely unnecessary. Fortunately, many devices let you choose whether to grant data access. Think carefully before clicking “Allow” on any data request and deny permissions that don’t make sense.

Even if an app doesn’t directly ask for data, it may still collect it. Make it a habit to periodically check your privacy settings (monthly is a good habit). This will help ensure your data-sharing preferences align with your comfort level. Here are a few tips:

Apps can collect data even if you aren’t actively using them. Review your apps every few months and delete any you haven’t used recently. This simple step prevents unnecessary data collection and reduces clutter on your device. If you ever need the app again, you can easily reinstall it!

While you can’t always control how your data is shared, you can control what you share and with whom. Please remember to discuss data privacy with your family and friends so they can make informed decisions about their data.