*This post is a collaboration
Have you ever considered how much data different companies store about you? There are some brands you give permission to access certain data. If you’ve bought something from a website, you usually provide your name, address, contact details, and payment details. But what about websites with pop-ups asking you to read and accept their very long terms and conditions? Most of us click ‘accept’ without reading them. Do you know what information they keep about you?
If you are interested in finding out, Rightly have created data maps for their latest campaign #MappingMyData. They show the different information that various industries and companies may have stored about you. I was intrigued to know what information some of my most used apps may have stored about me. Check out the images below to see what data may be being stored about me. It’s not surprising social networking companies hold plenty of data on their users considering how much people use it. But that data is also sold on to others, perhaps it’s time for a data detox.
What is a data detox?
Think of a data detox as a sort of spring clean, but instead of cleaning your home you are cleaning up all the data that these companies store on you. Users of these websites and apps have the right to ask these companies for any personal data they may hold on them, what the data is used for, and if you wish, you can ask them to delete this information.
This is because of GDPR which has strengthened data protection laws in the UK and across Europe, meaning that if you are not happy with the personal information being stored about you by these companies, you can simply have it removed. That’s one way to stop so many brands from targeting you with annoying adverts. While it can be time-consuming to read different websites’ terms and conditions, seeing these images and knowing what personal information they can hold on you may make you think twice before hitting ‘accept’ without any thought in the future.
Are you considering a data detox?
If you would like to know what personal information companies may be storing about you. You can get in touch with each company and request to see this data, but this can be time-consuming. For a more efficient way, the team at Rightly can get in touch with thousands of companies on your behalf. They can help you find out what data has been stored about you. They can also help you update the personal information that each company holds. Or if you’d prefer for it to be deleted altogether they will assist you with that too.
What do you think about these companies and how they keep the data of their users?
