As part of our series titled ‘Cybersecurity Chronicles’, today we dive into the Victorian Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (the ‘PDPA’) and the question that you all are asking – “Frankly, why do we care?*”. We’ll try our best to keep it light and easy to digest – no ‘legalese’, we promise!

The PD..What Now?

The PDPA. Essentially, it’s a set of rules for how personal information can be collected, stored, used, and disclosed by Victorian public sector organizations. Why does it matter, you ask? Well, it’s important to know that it applies to all businesses operating in Victoria, regardless of size.

As Victorian small business owners, we should care about the PDPA because it helps protect people’s privacy, and let’s be honest – that’s just good business practice. Plus, complying with the PDPA can save us from penalties, which, trust us, nobody wants!

Personal Information

Now, you might be wondering what ‘personal information’ is. Do you collect information from your clients? (Hint: Anything that could identify a living person – names, email addresses, phone numbers, and even online shopping habits – this is personal information!)

Ok that’s all good, but what do we need to do?

Here are some key points to remember if you are a Victorian small business:

  1. Collect only the personal information you need and be transparent about why you need it. No funny business (very punny, right….?)  🔍
  2. Keep the information safe and secure. Don’t leave it lying around or for anyone to access! 🔑
  3. Use it only for the purposes you said you would. Don’t go selling people’s info or spamming them with ads or funny videos of cars, no matter how hilarious they may be. 🐈
  4. Let people access their own information if they ask for it – it’s their data, after all! 📝
  5. Get rid of the information securely when you don’t need it anymore. Hit that delete button, and make sure it’s gone for good! 🗑️ (An important one – don’t get caught slippin’ on this one!)  

Yes, yes, there’s a lot to Data Privacy – but by following some simple steps, we can make sure we’re protecting people’s privacy and staying on the good side of the law. If you need a hand, our friendly and competent team at Arro Lawyers can assist your small business with your data privacy and cybersecurity journey. Just reach out!

(*And don’t call me Frankly)