Every day, businesses, marketers, and even hackers purchase and sell other people’s personal information. Learn how to secure your personal information right now.
What you will discover:
Is it unlawful to sell personal information?
Can I file a lawsuit to stop telemarketing calls and texts?
What individual or consumer privacy rights shield my personal data from commercial use?
Do state privacy laws, such as the CCPA, extend to other states?
What should I do if a company that gathers my data is hacked?
How can I prevent companies from collecting, using, or selling my data?
The internet has created a thriving market for a product you may not have considered: your personal information. Companies, not just applications or websites, gather and sell your information, and this will continue unless you take deliberate steps to stop it. Here’s what you should know about protecting your personal information.
Table of Contents
Is it unlawful to sell personal information?
Your surfing habits and personal information are always being recorded. Your data may be captured every time you engage with a corporation online. It is often included in the Terms and Conditions that you agree to while using a website or app. Other businesses will pay to get such data for their own objectives. Collecting and selling personal data is allowed in most regions of the nation, as long as the firm or website tells you that they are doing it.
The regulations are complicated, but there are certain protections in place to assist you secure your personal data. Federal rules safeguard personal financial and medical information, as well as the data of minors under the age of 13. Otherwise, in many cases, your data is fair game.
Can I file a lawsuit to stop telemarketing calls and texts?
To avoid telemarketing calls and texts, contact 1-888-382-1222 and register your phone number on the Do Not contact List. If you believe a telemarketing call or text message breaches federal consumer protection regulations, such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, you may be able to sue. This is usually an option if:
Telemarketers contact you before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m.
You have registered with the National Do Not Call Registry, yet a corporation continues to call.
You have requested that the corporation cease phoning you, yet they continue to do so.
These regulations do not apply to political campaigns, health care providers, corporations you have granted authorization to contact, or charity.
What individual or consumer privacy rights shield my personal data from commercial use?
The federal government has few consumer privacy rules in effect. One example is the Fair Credit Reporting Act, however it only relates to financial and credit information. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection statute, which covers children under the age of 13, is another privacy statute. The Financial Privacy Rule, which is part of the Financial Modernization Act of 1999, restricts financial organizations’ ability to acquire and distribute private information. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) may potentially take legal action against firms that claim to secure customers’ personal information but do not.
Do state privacy laws, such as the CCPA, extend to other states?
Yes, in many situations. State data privacy regulations may apply across state boundaries as a result of the internet economy. The Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) of California, for example, protects customers in California even if the firm is situated in another state. As a result, an online shop in Florida that sends items to clients in California must comply with the CCPA for their California customers.
Six states have implemented or are attempting to adopt their own data privacy legislation as of now. California, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and North Dakota are among them. Whether or not privacy rules apply in a specific location, many businesses are applying them for all of their customers and website users to make compliance simpler.
What should I do if a company that gathers my data is hacked?
If your personal information is compromised as a result of a company hack, you may need to take urgent action to avoid future harm. Some things you can do right now are:
Account passwords are being changed.
Enrolling in two-factor authentication.
I am looking for security updates.
Maintaining a close eye on your credit record and financial accounts.
Your credit has been frozen.
How can I prevent companies from collecting, using, or selling my data?
You must be proactive in protecting your personal information until federal legislation that give this protection are established. To begin, try sending a Letter to Remove Personal Information to the firms with whom you do business. If you reside in one of the states where this law is in effect, they are legally required to erase that information and cease selling it. Though not legally binding in all states, it can be useful because some businesses may do what you want if you ask. You might also try requesting that your name be removed from the direct marketing list. This may assist to reduce robocalls and unwanted mail.
Consider submitting a problem Letter to the Better Business Bureau if you have a problem about a company. You may also send the corporation a formal Complaint Letter.
