Value your personal information

Personal information is valuable, and not just to the person it belongs to.

Treat it like the asset it is. Don’t share it without good reason, and only share what’s necessary. Also, know your rights.

There are a range of practices that organisations and government agencies need to follow when it comes to personal information, covering areas such as:

Australian privacy laws also give you a general right to access your personal information, including your health information, and the right to correct personal information an organisation or agency holds about you.

Your personal information Your health information

Check it’s the real deal

Make sure you trust who you share your information with.

Check that the organisation or person is who they say they are, and has a good reputation. If it looks suspicious, don’t risk it.

Scamwatch has some great advice on how to spot a ‘fake’, whether it’s an email, phonecall, document or dating profile. Scammers are getting increasingly sophisticated, so staying alert is more important than ever.

They may take advantage of news and current events to make the con more believable. If you are in a hurry, tired or distracted, it’s even easier to get tripped up.

So, stop and think before you click that button or share that information, and if in doubt – say no.

Check out advice from the ACCC’s ‘Scamwatch’ at the link below.

Protect yourself from scams

Read privacy policies

If you’re sharing your information, it’s important to be clear on how it will be used.

Check that the privacy practices of the organisations that you deal with are up to scratch. A good place to start is by reading their privacy policy.

Only provide your information if you understand and are comfortable with how and where it’s going to be used and who it’s going to be shared with.

There is a range of information that should be included in an organisations’ privacy policy, including how personal information is collected and held, how it will be used, and how to lodge a complaint.

If you can’t understand an organisation or agency’s privacy policy, ask them to explain it.

What is a privacy policy?

Update your privacy settings

Always check what you are saying ‘yes’ to. Many websites, apps and devices share your personal information by default. Check if you are sharing any information that you’d rather keep private.

For example, your location data can be combined with other information to create a rich picture about you. It might reveal how you travel to work, where you live, and where you are right now. That’s not necessarily information you’d want to share with just anyone.

Website cookies can help websites work more efficiently, but they can also be used to record your behaviour online and share information about you with third parties

Make an informed choice. Choose your advertising preferences. Say ‘no’ to cookies (or delete them) if that is your preference. And consider limiting things like location tracking.

Where’s your data going?

Protect your accounts

Use multi-factor authentication and strong passphrases to protect your accounts.

Passphrases are made up of 4 or more random words, making them longer (and safer) than a traditional password. This makes them harder to guess but easy to remember.

If multi-factor authentication is given as an option for a system or app you are on, use it. It provides an important extra layer of security for your accounts.

Check out the information below from the Australian Cyber Security Centre.

Turn on multi-factor authentication Set secure passphrases Quick wins for your password managers

Protect your devices

Make the most of security updates for your devices and apps by installing them promptly when they are rolled out.

You can usually turn on an option for updates to be made automatically, so you don’t miss out on an important one.

For devices that are too old for upgrades, if you can afford to, it may be worth getting a replacement so you are not left with a vulnerable device.

And just in case, it’s best to be prepared. Set up and perform regular backups so you don’t lose your personal information if something goes wrong.

You can find some useful advice from the Australian Cyber Security Centre at the links below.

Update your devices Set up and perform regular backups

Think before you share on socials

Social media posts and status updates, polls and quizzes, photos and videos can all reveal a lot about you.

The information you share may be given to other organisations without your explicit consent. It can also be used to steal your identity or cause you harm in other ways.

Draw boundaries between what you share publicly and with those you trust. Consider making your social media accounts private.

Always question why you are being asked for information. Is it necessary? Is it of benefit to you? And most importantly, is it safe?

And don’t forget to make sure friends and family are happy to be tagged in posts before clicking that button.

Detox your digital profile

Don’t need it? Destroy it (securely)

We have information about ourselves around us all the time.

If some of that information ends up where it’s not meant to, it can be used for identity theft or other purposes.

Make sure you destroy personal information before throwing it out, and wipe data from old devices.

The same applies online – make sure you delete accounts you no longer need. And treat your email like you do your confidential papers – take care where it goes and what you leave sitting around.

Do some housekeeping and delete old emails you don’t need, especially if they include private information, or store them somewhere secure.

Clean up your email trail

Act quickly if things go wrong

Sometimes things go wrong. If your privacy is breached, act quickly to reduce your risk of harm. Steps you can take include:

Changing your passphrases
Watching out for phone or email scams
Checking your credit report
Checking your financial accounts for suspicious activity

If you have any questions, contact the relevant agency (for example, Medicare, the Australian Taxation Office, or your health care provider, if the data breach relates to health information).

You should also keep a record of any action you take or help you get. This may be useful if you experience harm as a result of the data breach.

Respond to a data breach notification

Make a point of talking about privacy

Protecting privacy is important at all ages, but it’s not necessarily something people talk about.

Make a point of talking about privacy with your friends and family, and especially children.

It’s essential young people understand how important their privacy is as soon as they start using digital devices and going online.

You may also be able to help others you know be more confident in navigating online privacy settings, and having good privacy measures in place. And you may find yourself picking up a privacy tip or two as well!

Privacy tips for parents and carers

Did you know?

Privacy is a fundamental human right. In Australia, the Privacy Act 1988 has strict rules about how organisations and government agencies must handle your personal information.

If you think an organisation or government agency covered by the Privacy Act has mishandled your personal information, you can lodge a complaint with the OAIC for free.

Privacy matters, and making sure businesses, organisations and government agencies are doing the right thing helps to contribute to making things safer for all.

Your privacy rights Make a complaint

More resources

In the workplace

Protecting the privacy of people’s personal information is fundamental.

You can make sure your organisation is covering what it needs to, and find out more about what it can do to be a privacy leader, using the business or government tab below.

Your organisation can also sign up as a Privacy Awareness Week supporter.