How do you protect your personal information?

[Englishuser]

Hello,

Data security and privacy threats are prevalent in today's society. How do you protect your personal, sensitive information? Do you own a paper shredder or do you burn documents? Do you keep a second PC so as to make sure no hacker gains access to your files?

Englishuser

[Pamela]

Hi Englishuser,

Since I’m not a counterspy I have nothing to worry about. But I’m acquainted with many programmers who keep my PC saved from hacking.

[Englishuser]

Hi Pamela,

Thank you for your post. The fact that you don't hack other people's computers or engage in criminal activities does not mean other people wouldn't be interested in your personal information. You never know what people could do with paper documents you throw away, for instance.

There is no way of keeping a PC safe from hacking apart from not connecting it to the Internet or intranet networks.

Englishuser

[Torsten]

[Yankee]

Nope, no shredder and I only burn things if I happen to need some paper to get a fire going. Do you have a paper shredder, EU? Do you burn things? What sorts of things do you find it necessary to burn and/or shred?

[Englishuser]

Hi Torsten,

You asked what society I was referring to earlier in this thread, and why I think that privacy threats are prevalent in that society.

I think people's privacy is at great risk in virtually every society in the World. Only members of very remote communities are less at risk than members of most other communuities, and someone who lives in such a (remote) community could rarely participate in online discussions.

People's privacy is threatened mostly because so many personal and sensitive items of information are kept on computer harddrives and other digital media that could potentially be accessed by determined computer whizzes.

Englishuser

[Englishuser]

Hi Yankee,

In answer to your question, yes, I do shred quite a lot of things. As a rule, I destroy any documents or digital media containing personal information or sensitive personal information relating to myself or other people. Occasionally I am required to shred documents so as to comply with the Data Protection Act.

As for keeping a non-networked PC, I dare say it works very well for me: I keep one for accessing the Internet and another one for dealing with personal and sensitive personal information.

Englishuser

[Torsten]

[Englishuser]

Hi Torsten,

Thank you for your post and your questions. I will try to answer them below.