Do you know who collects your data and where it’s stored? Data Privacy Week is January 26-30, and this year’s theme, Take Control of Your Data, reminds us of the importance of protecting personal information and knowing our online privacy rights.

Our data is everywhere, and while we can’t control where all the bits and pieces of our data go, we can learn to manage our data and decide who we share it with. Here are some questions to help guide you in securing your data:

📱Is the data being asked of me relevant to the app or service?  

📱If you haven’t used a service or app in months, is it worth keeping around, knowing it is still collecting your data?  

📱Is the digital service worth the amount of personal data they are collecting?  

📱Can you choose to opt out of sharing your data in the future?

The City of Long Beach has released its second Edutainment video, which explains how Smart Lampposts function and showcases their direct benefits for residents. 

In this episode, Nora and Hermes visit Houghton Park in North Long Beach to explore a new kind of streetlight that not only illuminates the area but also helps make parks safer and city services smarter. The City’s Technology Programs Manager explains how smart lamp posts work, what data they collect, and how this data enhances community safety, services, and privacy. 

The series provides important information about where data goes and how it is used and directs the community to our Digital Rights Platform to learn more.