FRANKLIN, Tenn. (January 27, 2026)—National Data Privacy Day on January 28 is a reminder that nearly everything we do—work, school, shopping, banking, healthcare, entertainment, and staying connected with family—now happens online.
In an increasingly digital world, protecting sensitive information is a practical way to stay safe. Small choices, like how accounts are secured and which providers handle your internet connection, can make a big difference in keeping your personal data out of the wrong hands.
Six simple ways to protect your data:
- Choose a locally owned internet service provider (ISP) to protect your privacy.
Some large national providers operate within sprawling advertising or data mining ecosystems, using customer information as an asset to trade on the open market. Locally owned ISPs focus on connecting customers to service, not selling data. - Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) everywhere you can.
MFA adds a second layer of protection beyond a password, so if a password is stolen, an attacker still can’t easily get in. Prioritize MFA on your email first (because it can reset other passwords), then add MFA to your banking, social media, and any account connected to your payment info. - Audit privacy settings on phones, browsers, and apps.
Take five minutes to review what your apps can access: location, contacts, photos, microphone, etc. Disable “allow apps to track” (or similar tracking settings) and limit location access to “while using.” In browsers, block third-party cookies and turn on anti-tracking features. - Secure your home Wi-Fi and smart devices like you’d secure your front door.
Change default router and device passwords, and use a strong Wi-Fi password you don’t reuse elsewhere. Additionally, consider turning on automatic firmware updates for all of your digital devices to help address security vulnerabilities as they arise. (United’s routers update firmware automatically, protecting you from data security threats.) - Use a password manager and make every password unique.
Long, unique passwords prevent “credential stuffing,” where attackers try leaked passwords across multiple sites. A password manager (popular choices include LastPass and BitWarden) can generate and store strong passwords so you don’t have to. Aim for unique passwords (or passphrases) for email, banking, shopping, and streaming—basically anything that could expose financial or personal information. - Get serious about modern scams—especially texts, direct messages (DMs), and “urgent” messages.
Phishing isn’t just through email anymore. Be cautious with delivery notices, password reset alerts, fake “bank fraud” texts, QR codes in public places, and social media DMs that ask you to click a link. First, slow down and verify the information. Don’t tap the link—go to the company’s site or app directly, or call a trusted number.
How a locally owned ISP protects your privacy
When you choose an internet service provider, you’re choosing who connects you to all the online services you use every day. United Communications takes a different approach: we do not sell your data, ever. As a locally owned provider, our long-term success depends on trust in the communities we serve—not on monetizing customer behavior. We’re here to deliver internet service, not to treat personal browsing activity as a product.
A local ISP can also bring practical advantages that support privacy and security:
- Fewer incentives to monetize usage data. Our business is providing fiber internet with great service, not creating revenue streams from customer tracking.
- Local accountability. Customers can reach a local team, and the people who represent United live and work in the same communities as the customers they support.
- Privacy-first customer relationships. At United, our customers matter most—not their data. Along with privacy, United also focuses on lightning-fast speeds, exceptional reliability, and outstanding customer service.
When your ISP isn’t also trying to be a national media, advertising, or data company, it’s easier to keep the mission focused: connect customers and protect the relationship.
On National Data Privacy Day, United encourages families to take small steps that add up—strong passwords, updated devices, safer browsing habits—and to choose service providers who treat privacy as part of customer care.
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About United Communications
United Communications is a leading provider of internet and phone services for residential customers, small and mid-sized businesses, and enterprise-level organizations across Middle Tennessee. United has been nationally and regionally recognized, winning the 2024 and 2023 Best Places to Work award from the Nashville Business Journal, the 2024 and 2025 Gold Stevie® Award from the American Business Awards®, a 2025 BBC Mag Top 100 Fiber-to-the-Home Leader designation, and a 2023 Torch Award from the BBB. United was also honored by the NCTA in their 2025 Smart Rural Community Showcase Awards.
United operates more than 6,100 route miles of fiber covering portions of Bedford, Davidson, Franklin, Giles, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Rutherford, Williamson, and Wilson counties. United Communications is a service of Middle Tennessee Electric.