Office and Personal Shredders; Why They're Not A Good Option

Office and Personal Shredders: Why They Aren’t a Good Option
Many cautious and cost-conscious business people and homeowners believe that using a shredder is the safest and most economical way to discard sensitive information. Ironically, whether for workplace or home use, using a small shredder is actually one of the most expensive and least secure solutions.

No one disputes that sensitive information must be destroyed before it is discarded.

From a business perspective, any organization with customers or employees is subject to one or more regulatory requirements to destroyed sensitive information before disposal. And, as the regulatory penalties for failing to comply with this mandate
increase by the day, so do to legal consequences. At worst, improper disposal of sensitive information can lead to embarrassing and expensive lawsuits from victims. At
the least, customers flee to another business that better protects their personal information.

At home, things are a little different. While there is no law requiring an individual to secure their own personal information, it is common sense that its secure destruction is necessary to avoid placing one's family at risk of identity theft and other privacy
violations.

One of the issues with depending on personal shredders at home and at work is that people don’t use them. Office and home shredders require staples and clips be removed, are slow and messy and noisy, and, as a result, there is a strong tendency not
to use them "just this once." But it does not happen just once, and before long, the shredder is unplugged and accumulating dust in the corner while sensitive information is going in the trash or recycle bin on a regular basis.

But let's pretend the shredder is being used despite the temptations not to. Where do the shreds end up? In the garbage bin, of course. If a bad guy comes looking, they will take the shredded material because that’s the “good stuff.” There have already been numerous occasions when shredded paper has been reassembled and even used as evidence in court. You say it is crosscut, therefore there is no problem. Really? That
sounds like famous last words in a world when high-speed scanners and artificial intelligence are at everyone's fingertips. Tossing shredded paper in the garbage - even crosscut - merely tells the identity thieves and corporate spies what to take.

Another issue with personal shedders is that they are prone to breakdowns when used on a regular basis. This is especially true in the workplace. As a result, instead of being shredded, sensitive information accumulates. Finally, someone becomes frustrated and
throws it out. Everyone sees that it is gone...but no one knows how.

Finally, even if the shredder is operated responsibly and remains in good operating order, its use provides no continuous recorded proof of compliance with data protection or records retention policies. Why is this significant? Because data protection standards now need the capacity to demonstrate compliance over time. It is not enough to point to a shredder in the corner. Utilizing a personal shredder becomes much more inconvenient, because compliance with laws would necessitate meticulous documentation of each use.

The shame of it all is that those who buys personal shredders have the best of intentions. They simply want to do the right thing for their families and consumers.

Fortunately, there is a much better alternative.

Shred America serves thousands of businesses and households who want to take meaningful steps to safeguard themselves.
We’re happy to talk at your convenience or you can arrange for a convenient, secure pick-up right on our home page.