Document Shredding: ‘Destroying’ The Things That You ‘Value’

Easily rank as one of the most popular services at any great UPS store in America, document shredding is a booming business. Why? The answer is simple: there are many things that we value and if they fall into the wrong hands, disaster can be unleashed.

In this post, we're going to take a look at the specifics of shredding documents so that your personal information is never leaked again. We'll also go through some general guidelines for preparing your documents for destruction-including how to actually make them disappear by using industrial grade paper shredders!

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- International Coalition Against Piracy 

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No, I am not a pirate. I am "PIRATE PETE!" and I am here to help you protect your privacy and your personal information from prying eyes, whether they be government agencies, corporations, or just plain snoops.

I'm here to show you how to use the utmost in security that money can buy… which most people don't have – unless they are the super rich.

You see, the government and corporations will tell you that they are working hard to protect your privacy. But the truth is that they really don't care. Sure. They do have a few laws that protect you in a few areas, but if they really wanted to protect you, then they would take care of our borders and stop illegal immigration. This would limit the number of break in's, theft's and identity thefts.

But in reality, it's easier for the government to make money off of you. They have ways of tracking your personal information down, no matter how well you hide it. This includes things like your credit card statements and bank statements, which are linked to your Social Security numbers and drivers license numbers.

That's why I tell you to shred every single piece of paper that has any kind of identification on it. Even if they can't read that information – they know where it is and they can see who used it.. whether or not they have a search warrant. If a thief should steal the paper with any identification on it, then there will always be a trail left behind for them to find the identity thief.

So, what's next? Well, you need to know that there are different levels of security. The government runs a classification system that you can – as a civilian – use as a standard. Federal standards are above all others. But there are also standards from your state, county and city governments which have additional restrictions and laws in place. Some states have even gone so far as to place additional constraints on the actual documents that you submit for shredding.

This is where the difference between ‘commercial’ paper shredders and ‘industrial’ paper shredders comes in to play. When you want to prepare your documents for destruction, you must first figure out which government agency is going to be scrutinizing your documents so that your shredder can be properly outfitted.

What? You mean you don't know? Are you that afraid of the government that they might find out what you may or may not be doing in your private life? Are you trying to hide something from them? If you aren't breaking any laws in your day-to-day life, then why are you so afraid of them finding out about it?

Let's talk about the different levels.. This will help illustrate what type of security level is needed for each.

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- International Coalition Against Piracy -

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There are actually two levels, but the "commercial" level is what people tend to think of when they think of modern paper shredders today. The first level is called "classified," and it is only used by federal agencies themselves and some state government offices, such as sheriffs’ offices and the like..

Government agencies all across the country, such as the IRS and other federal government agencies, routinely use commercial paper shredders to destroy documents containing sensitive information.

The second level is known as "unclassified" and can only be used by state governments (counties and city governments) or by people who work for those governmental agencies. Each area may have different laws in place that govern the destruction of sensitive personal information..

Now that you know which classification level your local government uses – you need to make sure that you try to match what classified level your paperwork is under. If there is a specific document that you need shredded, then request it from your local government office. Sometimes they will provide you with a document that lists the correct level that paper needs to be at. If not, then you need to read the document before you shred it. There are many degrees of sensitivity in documents, so if yours is sensitive, then your paper shredder needs to be classed correctly.

Here's how it works:

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- International Coalition Against Piracy -

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There are many different levels, but the most sensitive level is the War Department level and on down to the department or agency that has the document that you need destroyed. The "unclassified" level will only be used by local government offices, while the "classified" level will only be used by federal government agencies and some state governments..

Conclusion

The world is full of people hacking, stealing, breaking and otherwise misusing information about other people. The U.S. government has become very jumpy with what they are collecting: everything from your tax records to your financial statements to your intimate personal information.

They have begun to make petty requests for this information even though you have nothing to hide. It’s not like they care that you are divorced or that you don’t want them digging through your personal life..

You pay taxes and give a lot of money away; we all do it and if you really wanted them to know everything about your life, then you would just tell them everything..