Privacy Awareness Week (PAW) runs from 4–10 May 2026 and highlights the importance of protecting personal information and building trust in how it’s handled. This global event encourages organisations, government agencies, and individuals to understand their privacy rights and responsibilities, while promoting better ways to manage personal data.
This year’s theme, “Trust is built here: In every privacy complaint. In every resolution.”, emphasises that trust is built not just through policies, but through consistent, fair, and transparent actions should issues arise.
In an increasingly data-driven world, personal information is constantly collected, stored, and shared. From everyday transactions to essential public services, individuals rely on organisations to safeguard their data.
Privacy Awareness Week reinforces the importance of strong privacy practices. When people trust that their information is handled securely and respectfully, confidence in organisations and institutions grows.
How you can protect your personal information
- Use strong, unique passwords always use a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols, with a minimum of 14 characters.
- Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA adds an extra layer of protection by requiring something you know (like a password or passphrase) and something you have (like your phone).
- Review privacy settings on social media, apps, and devices.
- Be cautious on social media: Keep accounts private and think before sharing, scammers can use your posts to steal your identity.
- Never share your password
- Be cautious of phishing attempts and unsolicited communications, if it sounds too good to be true, it likely is.
- Act quickly if your privacy is breached: Change passwords, notify your bank, monitor accounts, watch for scams, and check your credit report.
- Understand data collection policies before using new apps or services.
- Keep your software updated to protect against known security vulnerabilities.
For more information on common scams and how to protect yourself, please visit the News section of our website, or alternatively the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has a wealth of information and advice about protecting yourself online.
As always, we remain committed to your security and privacy online. To understand how we manage your personal information, please visit our Privacy page. To understand how we help to keep you safe, please refer to our Security page.
Need help?
If you believe someone has gained access to your personal information, even if it appears unrelated to your finances, you should contact your bank immediately. A timely response can be critical in giving you the best chance to stem any loss.
- If you have concerns about your Unity Bank account, contact us on 1300 36 2000.
- If the scam occurred on social media or a legitimate website, report it to the platform involved.
- You can find more information around protecting your personal information at the Privacy Awareness Week website.
