| Today, paper shredders are a common piece of | | | | overwhelming prospects of industrial espionage. This |
| office and home office equipment. What used to be a | | | | year, it is estimated that industrial espionage will |
| piece of office equipment primarily used for military | | | | account for over $60 billion in losses. |
| and government agencies, has now trickled down into | | | | All businesses are bound by several government |
| the small business industry, and is almost necessary | | | | regulations that are enacted to help protect individuals |
| for the day to day functions in any office. The privacy | | | | from the misuse of their private information. These |
| concerns of today were almost infeasible eighty years | | | | regulations manifest themselves in the form of HIPAA, |
| ago when the first model for paper shredders was | | | | which protects medical information, and many identity |
| patented. However, increased government regulations | | | | theft standards. HIPAA ensures the proper destruction |
| and growing awareness of privacy issues leads many | | | | and privacy protections of medical records and |
| homeowners and business owners with no alternative. | | | | identifying information attached to it. These are national |
| When looking for a paper shredder to fit your needs, it | | | | standards to protect the privacy of personal health |
| is important to know the different types and | | | | information. Additionally, the government and business |
| capabilities, as well as the various security levels, to | | | | policies have implemented standards to help keep |
| ensure an appropriate purchase. | | | | personally identifying information private. This ensures |
| The sale of paper shredders in the United States | | | | that financial information will remain confidential, as well |
| closely correlates to some major government | | | | as social security numbers. Banking documents, loan |
| scandals and key privacy legislation. For example, the | | | | information, credit card transactions, and much more |
| Watergate Scandal and the Iran-Contra affair both | | | | are destroyed by paper shredders based on this |
| played key roles in a market boost. The Privacy Act | | | | standard of privacy. |
| of 1974, The Ecology Movement of the 90s, and the | | | | There are many different makes and models of paper |
| HIPAA of 1996 also boosted paper shredder sales in | | | | shredders. However, they can be categorized as |
| the United States. Today, paper shredders are seeing | | | | strip-cut or cross-cut models. Depending on the type |
| a major jump in sales due to increased national | | | | of shredding needed and the security level needed, |
| awareness of identity theft. Current attempts and | | | | these models can provide the privacy needed. The |
| legislative efforts are placing identity theft and privacy | | | | strip-cut models are the most common, but least |
| concerns at the forefront of every citizen's mind and | | | | secure. These paper shredders cut the documents |
| encourage businesses to do their fair share in | | | | into various sized strips, depending on the settings. The |
| alleviating these concerns. | | | | cross-cut models have separate shredding capabilities |
| The military and government agencies have | | | | and cut documents into small particles. The cross-cut |
| recognized the need of high security paper shredders | | | | model is more secure and even has security levels |
| for decades. Although this equipment was primarily | | | | and features amongst the various shredders. |
| used for government functions in the early stages of | | | | The type of privacy needed and level of security |
| development, today commercial businesses account | | | | necessary to ensure the proper destruction of a |
| for two thirds of the paper shredder market. | | | | document are key factors when deciding to purchase |
| Corporations and small businesses are finding that | | | | an appropriate paper shredder. The growing |
| paper shredders satisfy government standards and | | | | awareness of privacy concerns and the increased |
| company policies. Shredders are not only used to | | | | government standards create a great need for a |
| protect the companies from outside privacy invaders, | | | | paper shredder in any office or business. |
| but are also used to protect them from the | | | | |
