Privacy Awareness Authorities Australia Issue Joint Statement for Businesses

This year’s theme for PAW focuses on privacy and technology and the key principles of transparency, accountability and security.

Taken from the statement issued by the Privacy Authorities Australia, is the below crucial information for all businesses.

Joint statement by Privacy Authorities Australia

"With coming state and national privacy reforms, and significant debate about key issues such as the activities and regulation of social media platforms, children’s privacy, biometrics and the use of AI, it is a critical time in the privacy landscape.

While developments in technology continue to evolve and challenge privacy practices, Australian regulators stress that fundamental privacy principles apply when personal information is involved.

In particular:

Transparency – If organisations are collecting personal information from people, they must be open and transparent about how they will handle it.

Accountability – Privacy is a human right and it’s one Australians value highly. Organisations should show their privacy leadership – in good times and bad – and be accountable when it comes to their use, handling and protection of personal information.

Security – Our personal data encapsulates who we are. Regulators are urging organisations to ‘power up’ the security of personal information to guard against known and emerging threats, including credential stuffing, human error and vulnerabilities posed through third-party providers.

The importance of organisations having high standards when it comes to their privacy practices is underscored by the results of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s Australian Community Attitudes to Privacy Survey, which last year found:

• Three in five Australians see the protection of their personal information as a major concern in their life (62%).
• Only a third feel in control of their data privacy, and 84% want more control and choice over the collection and use of their personal information.
• 74% feel data breaches are one of the biggest privacy risks they face today.
• 70% say privacy is extremely or very important when choosing a product or service, and another 26% state it is quite important.

Now is an ideal time for Australians to join together in ‘powering up’ privacy, both in our own day-to-day privacy practices and across organisations. Privacy is essential to the work of government agencies and the community’s trust in government, and should also be a strength for businesses and other organisations – not a vulnerability."

How Diamond IT can help ensure your privacy practices stack up

The Diamond IT team specialise in reviewing cyber security strategies, including privacy foundations, to ensure they are fit for purpose, align with government recommendations, and include the necessary defences required to best protect your business data from privacy breaches and malicious threats.

Our Business Technology Managers and Business Technology Consulting team are specialists in improving your internal cybersecurity and are ready to speak with you. Contact our team on 1300 307 907 today.