What Is the Difference Between Data Privacy & Software Privacy?
The main difference between data privacy and software privacy pertains to their respective functions. Data privacy is concerned with how to protect consumers against the collection and distribution of personal data, while software privacy provides the tools to allow for privacy protections.
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Data Privacy Defined
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Data, or information, privacy concerns itself with the legal and political issues related to the collection and distribution of personal information, which include medical, financial, biological, legal and demographic data. The issue of sharing data while protecting personal identifiable information has resulted in the passage of laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, as well as force the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to define its "Consumer Fair Information Practices Principles."
Software Privacy Defined
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Software privacy consists of products manufacturers design to protect user privacy. Software privacy attempts to protect consumers by erasing traces of personal data and by masking IP addresses to prevent the collection of information. Products that accomplish this task include ad blockers, the National Do Not Call Registry, cookie managers, online filters, firewalls, anti-spyware and anti-spam protection software.
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Issues in Privacy Protection
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Data privacy is hard to manage due to differences in international privacy laws. The Internet remains an unregulated entity, which means that data that goes through unencrypted channels can be subject to public scrutiny. Software can provide some, but not foolproof, protections against malicious attacks aimed at collecting personal data. The FTC has attempted to educate consumers about security issues and urge them to use caution when disseminating personal information.
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