Yes, it actually is. Jan. 28 has been set aside as a date to raise awareness and generally promote proper use and safeguarding of personal data. While it started in Europe, it is now recognized by more than 50 countries.

Why Jan. 28? The date is important because on this date in 1981, the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (say that five times quickly) was introduced for signature by the Council of Europe. The day has been recognized in the United States since 2009, when the House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution declaring Jan. 28 as “National Privacy Day.” (Imagine that. A day when something passed unanimously!) The Senate followed suit in the years after.

We in the Taft Privacy and Data Security practice group encourage you to use this day to not only look at how your business can better use and protect personal data, but also take a look at how your privacy values are being respected and addressed by the businesses and technologies you frequent. Just do one thing differently today! Maybe….

• Update your passwords to strong passwords.
• Answer these questions: What is a personal VPN and how can it help me?
• See how easy it can be to encrypt your devices and messages.

Trust me; little changes can have a big impact. For more information, check out or sign up for our Privacy and Data Security Insights blog, you can also find great information through the International Association of Privacy Professionals and through StaySafeOnline.