The National Privacy Commission listed down New Year’s resolution ideas to become “cyber fit” this 2022.
This came following the spate in alleged privacy breaches and other related incidents in the past year.
The NPC then encouraged the public to practice safe and healthy online practices to keep “cyber fitness” in check.
“Common resolutions every New Year ang physical and financial fitness. But why stop there? Isama na rin ang Cyber Fitness sa goals mo for a healthier and safer online presence this 2022!” the commission said.
Here are the following suggested New year’s resolution ideas NPC shared:
- Exercise good online hygiene.
NPC encouraged to use multi-factor authentication, strong passwords and configuration in privacy settings on online platforms.
- Flex your healthy online habits.
NPC advised the public to install an effective antivirus software to devices for viruses and other threats.
The commission also added that the encryption feature should be enabled for safety and security.
“Iwasan ring mag-install ng mga suspicious apps,” it said.
- Work out those updates.
NPC also advised to keep operating systems, applications and browsers updated.
- Lose those excess apps.
Remove unnecessary applications from devices, NPC suggested, citing apps that process personal information.
- Train your cyber vigilance.
Moreover, NPC urged the public to always be careful in keeping their data privacy safe.
“Laging mag-ingat sa mga threats at risks sa inyong data privacy until it becomes second nature to you,” it said.
Some experts also previously suggested to strengthen passwords in accessing online accounts.
They advised against using words, places and names in passwords. They also deemed the technique of jumbling the words with different characters and symbols not as effective anymore.
To serve as guide, password manager NordPass issued a list of the top 200 most common passwords in 2021.
READ: This New Year, why not resolve to ditch your dodgy old passwords?
Most users in the Philippines fell victim to massive data privacy breaches last year.
This include the surge of dubious text messages containing dubious job offers with high salaries and sales of products from e-commerce websites last December.
READ: NPC probes telcos over scam text surge
Earlier in the year, NPC ordered the shutdown of four lending applications it found to have violated data privacy laws of their borrowers.
READ: Shutdown: 4 loan apps accessed Filipino borrowers’ pics, email, social media
