The 28th of January is Data Privacy Day and the privacy awareness issues it raises have never been so important. Today we use a range of connected devices like never before, ranging from computers and smartphones to personal assistants such as; Amazon Echo and Google Home, smart lighting, smart TVs, connected cars, toys and increasingly smart household appliances.

These devices generate a continuous stream of data about our personal lives via apps and the websites we use. And you might be surprised to know just how much of this data that is gathered. It can range from your salary and where you live, to your TV viewing and online shopping habits, how long you sleep, and even where you go if carrying a smartphone or wearable.

This information, which also includes contacts, photos and videos, is being collected by advertisers, tech companies and others. It contains enormous amounts of personal data about individuals, friends and family.

Hackers, fraudsters and scammers want this data because it helps them carry out fraud such as identity theft. Last August, Cifas, the UK’s leading fraud prevention service, released new figures showing that identity fraud continued to rise at record levels in the first six months of 2017. A record 89,000 identity frauds were recorded, up 5% from the previous year. 83% of identity frauds were perpetrated online. The innovation exhibited by these fraudsters is precisely why eCommerce operations are keen to implement fraud prevention into their sites in order to protect their businesses and keep bad actors out.

In short, personal data can be used in unexpected and malicious ways. And our use of connected devices is only going to grow as we enter a new age of computing and billions of smart connected devices.

Protecting your privacy
This is why it is so important to understand the value of your personal information and how to manage and protect it. With consumer protection uppermost, BullGuardmakes the following recommendations to safeguard personal data and ensure privacy remains intact: