It’s Privacy Awareness Week 2019

This week is Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities (APPA) Privacy Awareness Week, held annually to raise global awareness about privacy issues. This year’s theme “Protecting Privacy is Everyone’s Responsibility,” is part of what drives the FTC to act on behalf of consumers and businesses every day. Here are a few recent FTC efforts on privacy.

Over the past year or so, the FTC has helped raise people’s awareness about a cryptocurrency blackmail scam, a deceptive personal computer health check, the importance of clearing personal data before selling a car, and the privacy implications of genetic testing kits.

For businesses, which play a big role in keeping your information safe, the FTC created a Cybersecurity for Small Business campaign. This campaign helps give millions of small business owners and non-profit managers the information they need to know – and teach their employees – about things like phishing, ransomware, and vendor security.

The FTC has also brought cases to help protect your personal information – and your children’s privacy. The agency recently got a $5.7 million civil penalty with the company behind a popular free app Musical.ly, now known as TikTok, which collected kids’ personal information without parental consent. The FTC also sued an online game and fashion site for kids, i-Dressup.com, that didn’t get parental consent or have reasonable procedures to protect kids’ data. The orders in both cases require the companies to change their practices.

Of course, the FTC has lots more information on privacy – both for consumers and for businesses, and you can order free FTC publications at ftc.gov/bulkorder. And stay tuned for the FTC’s fourth annual PrivacyCon 2019 on June 27, where you’ll hear the latest on a wide range of privacy and security issues.

To see where your information goes, watch this video.

And for information about APPA and Privacy Awareness Week, visit www.privacyawarenessweek.org.

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