Planning a big meeting is complicated, and the security factor of it continues to become more complex. How do you ensure that your attendees’ personal data is also protected?

One thing all event pros have to keep in mind is that cybersecurity should be everybody’s job, including vendors and agencies, says a new post from Event Marketer.

“There are too many players that are part of the conversation, from the brand to the agency to the technology company,” says Scott Sheppard, president and chief technology officer at MoZeus. “We run into so many brands that have some sort of data governance or information-security management system, but those properties aren’t enforced by the agency, so the agencies aren’t forcing that onto the technology providers.”

It’s also important to treat all data with the same level of protection, even if you may not think it’s all that sensitive. Take your list of attendee email addresses, for example. “Lists provide hackers with data and a starting point—all they need to do next is guess passwords using sophisticated hacking tools available on the black market,” writes Kait Shea.

Meeting Apps

7 Reasons Why You Should Always Download Conference Apps https://t.co/IbOkKMKNBK #meetings #eventprofs #AMCi #assnchat #associations

— Kris Finger CMM (@KrisFinger) March 23, 2018

Many of us in the association space already know our way around an annual meeting, but downloading the conference app is still worthwhile.

“Most apps these days contain an attendee list, enabling you to connect with other conference participants and vendors,” writes Nancy A. Shenker, the founder of TheOnSwitch, in a post for Inc. “You can even find like-minded people to meet for meals, exercise, or after-work sightseeing, if you don’t like spending time alone.”

Meeting apps will also allow you to view and select the sessions you’d like to attend, stop you from getting lost in big venues, and provide a reference for some of the connections you made once the event is over.

Other Links of Note

When it come to photography, nonprofit staffers often rely on their smartphones to take photos at events. Kivi’s Nonprofit Communications Blog shares why you should shell out for a professional photographer.

Are you using member reviews in your social media strategy? Here’s why and how to incorporate them into your social marketing content from SocialFish.

Bad news, smartphone addicts. A new reports says just having it near you can mess with your brain, reports Entrepreneur.

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