ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Organizations are under increasing scrutiny – both from regulators and consumers – to proactively protect the privacy of their data from cybersecurity threats such as spear phishing, as well as social engineering attempts such as visual hacking.

To help organizations enhance their visual privacy efforts, 3M has announced its support of Data Privacy Day 2018. The event is held each year on January 28, and serves as a reminder to organizations and consumers about the importance of respecting privacy, safeguarding data and enabling trust.

As a Data Privacy Day Champion, 3M hopes to communicate the important role that visual privacy and security play in connection with brand reputation and identity. According to the 2017 Impact of Data Breaches on Reputation & Shared Value study conducted by Ponemon Institute and sponsored by Centrify, 80 percent of consumers believe organizations have an obligation to take reasonable steps to secure their personal information.

In addition to consumer pressures, all organizations that deal with the personal data of residents of the European Union must comply with the impending Global Data Protection Regulation, which goes into effect May 25, 2018. This regulation requires organizations to implement a reasonable level of data protection and privacy.

“Lax privacy measures and data breaches can have devastating impacts on an organization's reputation and brand,” said Nicola Stevens, global business director, 3M. “Organizations that view privacy not as a compliance burden but as a corporate responsibility have an opportunity to use it as a strategic advantage that may improve their reputation among consumers, attract better employees and potentially increase revenue.”

One key privacy practice that can help reassure consumers and build trust is using privacy screens on all corporate devices – including desktop monitors, laptops, tablets and smartphones. These can help block side angle views of visual hackers, while helping to protect the sensitive, confidential and personal information displayed on computer screens and mobile devices. Additionally, organizations should implement policies that require the use of privacy filters whenever corporate data is accessed outside of office walls – particularly for business travelers.

3M Display Materials and Systems Division is committed to bringing top of the line, innovative privacy solutions to market. 3M™ Privacy Filters help secure personal and confidential data displayed on a screen by blacking out content from unauthorized side views, allowing businesses to remain compliant with the company privacy policies. As experts in screen privacy, 3M offers one of the industry’s most complete line of screen privacy filters, available for most of today’s high-resolution monitors, laptops, tablets and smartphones. 3M Privacy Products help organizations protect information displayed on screens, wherever their employees might be accessing it. For more information, visit www.3Mscreens.com/visualhacking.

About 3M

At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $30 billion in sales, our 90,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNewsroom.

3M is a trademark of 3M Company.

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