Data privacy and protection
Understanding your data and why companies need it
Data is valuable, and it’s being collected continuously in ways you’ve possibly not considered.
Companies are collecting mass amounts of data to use in commercially competitive ways. From analysing your browsing habits, to knowing where you spend most of your time in the virtual and real world. This information allows organisations to better inform their strategic direction.
What does the term data mean?
You can think of data as information in any form that can be processed by an individual or a computer. This could include your name, date of birth, address, passwords and other sensitive information.
What is personal data?
Personal information, also called personal data, is any data that can identify you.
This includes:
- Your name, address, and phone numbers
- Email addresses and usernames
- Financial details like bank account or card numbers
- Medical history or biometric data (e.g. fingerprints).
But the definition of personal data has grown in the digital age to also include your online behaviour. This can cover your favourite types of food, what you buy online (at what price and how often), your location, interests, or hobbies. It can also include your favourite films and TV shows, who your online friends are, photos on social media and even which way you might vote in an election.
Personal data is valuable not only to you but also to companies, advertisers, and cybercriminals.
Why is your personal information valuable?
Your data can be used in several ways, some of which may harm you if not protected:
Advertising
Companies track your activity to build a profile for personalised marketing.
Identity theft
Cybercriminals can use your data to impersonate you, apply for loans, or make purchases.
Fraud and scams
Scammers use personal data to create convincing phishing attacks or commit fraudulent activity. Explore our ‘browsing the internet safely’ module to learn more about phishing.
The Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR provide laws to ensure organisations protect your personal data, but it’s also your responsibility to safeguard it.
