ALERT: 5 tips to help you protect your privacy

Thursday, January 28, 2016

This email message was sent to faculty, students, and staff on the U-M Ann Arbor campus on January 28, 2016, in celebration of National Data Privacy Day.

Hello U-M Ann Arbor faculty, students, and staff,

Today is National Data Privacy Day, and in recognition of that we are sharing five tips to help you protect your privacy and your personal data.

  1. Review and Update Your Privacy Settings
    Review and update privacy settings on websites, web browsers, apps, and other places where your information is collected. Ask to be put on do-not-call and do-not-mail lists when you can.
    Recommended resources: StaySafeOnline: Check Your Privacy Settings, Federal Trade Commission: Stopping Unsolicited Mail, Phone Calls, and Email, and Federal Trade Commission: National Do Not Call Registry.
  2. Choose What You Share and Where You Share It
    Only share what you are comfortable sharing. Be skeptical when you are offered rewards or discounts in exchange for your personal information. If you work with sensitive university data, store and share it using only approved storage options.
    Recommended resource: Sensitive Data Guide.
  3. Check the Information Gathered About You
    Look for and review privacy policies, and also review your credit report regularly.
    Recommended resource: Federal Trade Commission: Free Credit Reports.
  4. Beware of Attempts to Steal Your Personal Information
    Watch for phishing emails and websites that try to steal your passwords and other personal information.
    Recommended resources: What to Watch for: Phishing Examples and Spam, Phishing, and Suspicious Email.
  5. Practice Good General Security
    Choose strong passwords, use different passwords for different accounts, and secure your devices.
    Recommended resources: Protect Personal Devices and Data, Use a Secure Internet Connection, and Protect Yourself Online.

Privacy is a cornerstone of our personal and civil liberties, and it supports the intellectual and academic freedom we enjoy at U-M. Learn more about data privacy at U-M in the Privacy and Protect University Data sections of Safe Computing.

Sincerely,
Sol Bermann,
Privacy Officer