Guest Blogger: Protecting Your Personal Data by Jane Smith

Losing your personal information or your intellectual property is a bigger concern than ever in this age of hacking, identity theft, bootlegging, and Internet piracy. Whether you’re a bestselling author or an ordinary Joe, it’s never too soon to learn some lessons about the security of your files. Here are the most important pointers for keeping your work yours:

1. Always back up what you write

Often data losses occur not because of malicious action or theft but through sheer negligence or hardware failure. Make sure you frequently back up your documents, either to an external hard drive or to a secure and reputable service in the cloud, like Google Drive or Dropbox.

2. Encrypt

Remember to password-protect your data whenever possible, and in the case of highly sensitive material, consider encrypting the whole document. There are plenty of free software tools to help you do this; just ask Google.

3. Be careful who you share with

In the literary world, we often like to send advance reading copies or even the original .doc file around to our most respected colleagues for feedback. This is a healthy part of the creative process, but it also can create opportunities for piracy. Entire book manuscripts are now susceptible to leaks than can reach thousands upon thousands of downloaders. Make sure you’ve password-protected your work as mentioned above, but also limit its circulation to a few of your most trusted friends and coworkers.

4. Consider low-tech, but be careful

It’s a lot harder to pirate a notebook (the actual paper kind). It’s also a lot easier to lose. Just ask rapper Eminem, who at the height of his career in late 2000 lost a Britney Spears journal (being used ironically, I’m sure, but still embarrassing!) full of lyrics for a new project. He thought he left it on a Delta flight from Cincinnati to New Orleans, and offered a reward. Almost twelve years later, it still hasn’t shown up. Makes digital look not so bad after all, huh?

A freelance blogger and writer with a special interest in personal, criminal and professional records, Jane Smith knows the value of a thorough criminal background check. Her posts offer tips and information on the subject, and she welcomes your feedback at janesmith161@gmail.com.