VOL 27 ISSUE 4, Jan. 26, 2026
Data Privacy Week, observed Jan. 26-31, is a global effort to help people understand why their personal information matters and how to protect it. This year’s theme, “Take Control of Your Data,” focuses on simple steps anyone can take to stay safer online. Delaware North’s Cybersecurity team shares tips and resources below to manage your personal data privacy.
Every time you download an app, create an account or use an online service, you share pieces of personal information. With more digital tools now using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), companies are collecting more data than ever to power those features.
Did you know?
Gmail recently enabled new AI‑driven “Smart Features” by default for most personal users. These tools scan email content to support features such as Smart Compose, Smart Reply and AI‑generated summaries. If you prefer not to share your email content for these purposes, you can turn off Smart Features in your Gmail settings.
Quick privacy tips
- Review the privacy and security settings on your personal apps, devices and online accounts. Many services turn on data‑sharing features by default, but you can often limit what’s collected.
- Avoid storing your sensitive personal documents such as tax returns, medical records or legal records on company devices or in company systems (email, OneDrive).
Want to learn more?
- Explore more practical steps for taking control of your personal data.
- Check out the Mozilla Foundation’s Privacy Not Included website for privacy‑focused reviews of apps, products and connected devices.