Despite the fact that online transactions make up fewer than one in 10 cases of identity theft, modern document scanning solutions remain underutilized by consumers, largely because many feel there is a risk of losing personal information. The reality is that 95% of all business information is printed on hard copies that are stored in offices, and this leaves small and large companies alike vulnerable to security breaches because they lack sophisticated online security protection systems. One unfortunate result of the widespread use of paper is that it is the most commonly cited component of solid waste. The key to changing these outdated practices is educating the public about secure document storage online.
One of the biggest advantages of working with document storage companies is having permanent records of your files, which means you will have access to a searchable database of information if you ever need to access it in the future. One recent story in the news that exemplifies the problems created by failing to utilize document scanning solutions is the negative press Hillary Clinton has received because she failed to use a secure online email address. This means important communications between government officials were both inadequately secured and were not archived.
- What happened this week with Hillary Clinton?
There are strict rules regarding the communications of public officials, and these regulations pertain to what documents can be destroyed. The easiest way to enforce this equally for everyone is to have all officials who hold a government position use a secure email account that automatically saves emails and other records. Clinton bypassed these guidelines and instead opted to use the personal email server she had installed in her home, which means that the records were not all saved. Some may have even been deleted, and whether this was intentional or not, a scandal has erupted. - How has she reacted?
Clinton’s campaign and the White House have issued statements addressing the issue and they both are committed to releasing the documents, although some may have been deleted already because they were not automatically archived in the government system. The Secretary of State John Kerry has promised to devote a team to sorting through the information and making it available to the public for review. The opposing political candidates, however, are not satisfied with this surge and see it as superficial because Clinton’s team and her supporters get to handpick what emails are released. They are calling for a wholly independent review of all Clinton’s communications throughout her years as Secretary of State. - Why does this matter?
Hillary Clinton is a potential presidential candidate and is in the beginning stages of launching her campaign for 2016. She hopes to be the first woman president. Clinton has the support of many groups, but her recent actions have caused controversy because she has been accused in the last week of a lack of transparency with regards to her campaign donors. Critics suggest she is getting funding for her political campaigns from foreign donors, which is strictly prohibited under United States laws. The information this week about Clinton’s seemingly shady communications further entrenched suspicions of a lack of opacity in her campaign.What are your thoughts about Hillary’s campaign strategy? Do you think she should have utilized document scanning solutions, or is she better off with traditional secure shredding services? Please join the conversation and leave a comment below!
