Consumers' Responsibilities for Privacy

You don't have to turn very far in today's short news cycles to find news reports on breaches of consumer financial and personal data.  But lacking in the debate of government and industry regulations, is a question I've been asking myself of late. 

Where does my personal responsibility for the protection of my private consumer data and information begin?  As a consumer, am I being proactive and careful in protecting our private financial and personal information?  These are questions consumers should be asking themselves, before expecting government or private industry to provide all the solutions for protecting personal information. 

Take-away:

• Do you have a cross-cut paper shredder at home to destroy old sensitive documents such as utility bills, credit card statements, etc.?
• Do you protect your home computer with a hardware firewall, anti-virus software, and anti-spyware software?
• Are you careful to destroy credit and bank offers you receive via postal mail?

Protection of personal information begins with each of us accepting our own personal responsibility for the protection, use, and management of our private personal and financial information.

Jaime