9 privacy and security errors startups can't afford to make

Startups are risky. There's no sense adding to the precariousness of new business ownership by making the following errors in judgment.

With lots on their mind, startup owners tend to back-burner decisions that do not help the bottom line. More often than not that includes deciding how privacy and data security should be managed. Françoise Gilbert, a partner with the law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP suggests that is a bad idea, "A single error can undermine the trust of investors and customers, attract unwanted regulatory attention or litigation, and ultimately, derail a startup's success."

"Most startups cannot survive on their own without the help of third-party investments or contracts," continues Gilbert. "If they want to succeed and meet these third parties' requirements, they have to implement from the start and continue to use, the appropriate privacy and security safeguards that are adapted to their specific business model."

And Gilbert ought to know, in 30 years, she has seen plenty of mistakes; she outlines in her law firm's Emerging Technology Views blog what to avoid. So, startup owners, to steer clear of additional angst, here's Gilbert's list of whatnot to do.

1: Assuming privacy or security is just for the geeks
2: Ignoring relevant rules and laws
3: Thinking you are flying under the radar
4: Ignoring the benefits from policies
5: Believing you are not responsible
6: Assuming that more is better
7: Copying the privacy policy of the business next door
8: Making representations that they don't understand
9: Misunderstanding the effect of anonymization

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