Privacy

"Privacy" means different things to different people:

• The state of being alone or of being away from other people or their attention.
• Freedom from unauthorized intrusion.
• The right to have some control over how your personal information is collected and used.
• Protection of the information collected about you by government, businesses, and others.
• Compliance with federal laws related to how personal information is collected, used, and shared.

Those who store personal information about you have a responsibility to protect it. However, as more personal information is collected and exchanged—and as technology becomes more sophisticated, invasive, and complex—it is also becoming more difficult to protect that information. The organizations, businesses, and governmental agencies that store information are increasingly targeted by cyber criminals who recognize its value.

Think about your privacy needs, wants, and choices. How much privacy are you willing to give up in return for convenience or personalized service?

You are responsible for considering your privacy when deciding what information to share and with whom to share it when using social media, email, other communication and collaboration tools, online shopping sites, and more.