4 Things You Should Know About Information Security Laws
Here at Shred Monkeys, we’re passionate about more than just helping people in Pembroke Pines dispose of unwanted documentation. Sure, we love to provide paper shredding services to both private residents and businesses who are drowning in a sea of overflowing file boxes. That’s why we’ve created not just one, but THREE easy ways to take advantage of our paper shredding services throughout Southern Florida. But our true mission is far more serious than just eliminating paper clutter in a sustainable way.
Did you know that paper shredding companies like ours aren’t just convenient, but are actually an extension of state and federal law? That’s right, there are regulations that govern the storage and destruction of the personal information you’ve gathered throughout the years, and if you get rid of this documentation without secure paper shredding services, you could face stiff penalties.
To help you avoid this, we’ve put together a short list of some very important things you should know about information security in America, as well as how paper shredding services from Shred Monkeys can help you stay on the right side of the law.
Facts About Laws Governing Secure Document Destruction
Personal Information Is Priceless
Let’s say you’re a doctor with a private practice, or digital marketing firm that serves companies all over the world. Even though these two industries are vastly different in goal, they have one very important thing in common: they collect sensitive personal information from their clients. This information may include social security numbers, home addresses and phone numbers, credit card information, and insurance information. If this information was allowed to fall into the wrong hands, it could result in serious violations of privacy and even financial or identify theft. Criminals all over the world pay top dollar to access the personal information of unsuspecting Americans.
Lack Of Awareness Is Not An Excuse
Unless your company employs secure document destruction services, it’s possible that information gathered could be lost or made known to the public. Even if you didn’t realize that you were obligated to protect this information, you would still be on the hook for this crime of negligence.
The fines for non-compliance range from $3,500-$11,000 per event, which could lead to fines in the millions of dollars for your company and jail time for you. To see if your company is expected to comply, visit http://www.ftc.gov/redflagsrule.
Secure Document Shredding Is Required By Law
Despite the fact that violation of information security laws can result in such stiff penalties, industry research has found that “only 57 percent of US companies use document destruction services as a direct result of government regulation. Of those companies, only 71 percent of organizations have official guidelines for document destruction.” Why risk it? Shred Monkeys can help your Pembroke Pines business stay in compliance despite the ever-shifting legal landscape of data security compliance.
Data Security Involves More Than Just Paperwork
While paper shredding services is a large part of what we do here in Pembroke Pines, it’s certainly not the only way we can help to protect sensitive documentation. In our increasingly digital age, secure documentation is also stored and manipulated digitally. Shred Monkeys can also provide secure destruction services of hard drives and other hardware related to information storage.
Learn more about our mobile, pick-up and drop-off shredding services in and around Pembroke Pines by contacting Shred Monkeys for a FREE personalized quote today.