There’s a lot of personal information your business collects as part of running small-scale businesses. Certain information may be classified as sensitive, which is a category of data that receives additional protection under privacy laws. The laws differ from country to country, as do the types of information that are considered personal data.
Different privacy laws define sensitive information differently, but often it includes things like genetic information like racial and ethnic origin as well as sexual orientation, gender identity and religious beliefs. It could also include the person’s social security number, home address or phone number, or any other information that could be used to identify them in a way. It could also include biometric information like fingerprints and electronic signatures.
The laws governing personal information can differ based on the region and industry, however it’s crucial for businesses to be aware of the types of information they are legally bound to protect. Many of these laws require you to outline your policy and have employees agree to them as part of doing business with you.
It is a good idea to take inventory of the personal information your business holds. This will help you ensure that you’re compliant. This is more than simply looking over what’s in your file cabinets, and searching for information saved on laptops, mobile devices, flash drives, home computers or digital copiers. You’ll be amazed at the amount of personal data your business has.