Don't Be Fooled on April Fools

April 1^st is quickly approaching, and with it will come plenty of playful pranks and jokes, aiming to trick others in (hopefully) harmless and humorous ways.

Although many of us Marans (including the author) are fans of this annual tradition, we also recognize that April Fools is a great opportunity for businesses and individuals to reflect on some important privacy and cyber security lessons. In fact, there are several ways in which your tactic for handling the shenanigans of April 1^st should reflect your broader approach to privacy and cyber security!

• To begin — ​“If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” As much as we hope you are in fact the winner of a lottery you don’t remember entering, approach unsolicited emails, offers, or weblinks with a healthy dose of skepticism. Remain cautious as some jokes can be cleverly disguised attempts to access and steal personal information or install malware.

• Next, apply critical thinking with a privacy and cybersecurity lens. Businesses and individuals should understand potential threats to privacy and security. We at Mara have become particularly adept at recognizing phishing attempts. Verifying information can be especially important during a time like April Fools when misinformation may be rampant. 

• Finally, have fun. Privacy and cyber security are matters we should take very seriously, but a little humour can help make topics more accessible and relatable. At Mara, we are fans of the Federal Office of the Privacy Commissioner’s cartoon page, and have been known to host entertaining privacy trivia and privacy bingo events. 

So be privacy and cybersecurity-savvy and have an enjoyable April Fools Day!