Make Privacy a Priority

If you aren’t protecting your personal information online, you could be sharing things you would rather keep private. As more of our day-to-day lives take place online, for work, study, and socialising, we may share more than we intend to. Our personal information such as our contact details, financial or even sensitive information about our health or beliefs can be revealed online in ways we may not expect. Online tracking, sophisticated phishing scams and data breaches are just some of the issues that can have a serious impact on our privacy. In fact, Australians see identity theft and fraud, and data breaches and security, as the biggest privacy risks we face today.

Half of Australians don't know how to protect their personal information. Our personal information is valuable and worth protecting. But if you don’t know how, you are not alone. Even though most Australians (85%) have a clear understanding of why they should protect personal information, 49% don’t know how to go about it. Many aren’t doing enough to safeguard their privacy due to lack of time, knowledge and the perceived difficulty of the process.

It’s easier and faster than you think. Take steps to make privacy a priority today

We have identified simple steps to help you protect your personal information that you can take right now. We've also put together key tips and guidance for Australian Government agencies and businesses covered by the Privacy Act 1988 to help them protect the personal information they collect.

Tips for home:

  • Use multi-factor authentication and strong passphrases
  • If your data is breached, act quickly
  • Talk about privacy with your children
  • Update your security software
  • Check before sharing your personal information
  • Shop online securely
  • Update your privacy settings
  • Be aware of phishing scams
  • Secure your devices
  • Share online with privacy in mind

Tips for work:

  • Prioritise staff training
  • Reduce the risk of data breaches caused by human error
  • Physically protect personal information
  • Prepare a data breach response plan
  • Put secure systems in place
  • Build in privacy by design
  • Review your privacy policy
  • Undertake a Privacy Impact Assessment
  • Only collect the information you need
  • Making privacy a priority comes from the top

https://www.oaic.gov.au/s/paw2021/