The Office of the Information Commissioner has announced that the current Privacy Awareness Week (PAW), which runs until Sunday, has the theme Privacy 101: Back to Basics.
In a statement, the Office said the theme was a reminder that every day we can act to protect our privacy, and the privacy of others.
“The PAW is an annual celebration, shining a light on the importance of protecting and respecting personal information,” the Office said.
“The Department of Justice and Attorney-General (of which the Office is a part) takes your privacy seriously and does everything it can to ensure your privacy rights are respected.”
It said that if the Department ever asked for people’s personal information, it would say why it needed it, how it would be kept safe and if it would be shared.
“Apart from making sure Agencies and organisations look after your personal information, there is also a range of things you can do to protect your privacy,” the Office said.
“During this PAW, we’re going back to basics and sharing helpful, simple tips to protect your personal information,”
It said these included updating privacy and security settings on all devices; being mindful of what is shared on social media, and using multi-factor authentication to better protect online accounts.
It also said people should be wary of public Wi-Fi and avoid using it for things like internet banking.
“Finally, when you sign up for a new service or app, be sure you know what you’re agreeing to in the terms and conditions,” the Office of the Information Commissioner said.
