Greetings Campus Community,

Data Privacy Day is January 28 — an international effort to empower individuals and encourage organizations to respect privacy, safeguard data and enable trust.

Millions of people are unaware of and uninformed about how their personal information is being used, collected or shared in our digital society. Data Privacy Day aims to inspire dialogue and empower individuals and organizations to act.

Tips for protecting your privacy rights

• Know your privacy rights so you understand when something doesn’t seem right and where you can go for help.
• Ask why your information is being collected so you understand how it will be used.
• Read privacy policies and collection notices to make sure you’re comfortable with how your information will be used. Read Fresno State’s Online Privacy Notice at fresnostate.edu/home/online-privacy-notice.html

Personal information is like money. Value it. Protect it.
Your mobile devices (e.g. smartphones, laptops, wearables, etc.) are always within easy reach everywhere you go and those devices have or share substantial information about you. Follow these basic privacy tips to help you better manage your personal information.

• Secure your devices: Use strong passphrases, passcodes or touch ID features to lock your devices. These security measures can help protect your information if your devices are lost or stolen and keep prying eyes out.
• Think before you app: Information about you, such as the games you like to play, your contacts list, where you shop and your location, has value — just like money. Be thoughtful about who gets that information and how it’s collected through apps.
• Now you see me, now you don’t: Some stores and other locations look for devices with WiFi or Bluetooth turned on to track your movements while you are within range. Disable WiFi and Bluetooth when not in use.
• Get savvy about WiFi hotspots: Public wireless networks and hotspots are not secure, which means that anyone could potentially see what you are doing on your mobile device while you are connected. Limit what you do on public WiFi, and avoid logging in to key accounts like email and financial services on these networks. Consider using a virtual private network (VPN) or a personal/mobile hotspot if you need a more secure connection on the go.

Keep A Clean Machine

• Keep your mobile phone and apps up to date: Your mobile devices are just as vulnerable as your PC or laptop. Having the most up-to-date security software, web browser, operating system and apps are the best defense against viruses, malware and other online threats.
• Delete when done: Many of us download apps for specific purposes, such as planning a vacation, and no longer need them afterwards, or we may have previously downloaded apps that are no longer useful or interesting to us. It’s a good security practice to delete all apps you no longer use.

Update Your Privacy Settings

• Want to view or change your privacy/security settings on your device or online service, but don’t know where to find them for your device? Use the direct links from your vendor’s device and online service to update your privacy settings.

Technology Services