Data protection reliability is the term used to describe processes that ensure that personal data is gathered legally, stored securely and is never shared or used in violation of rights of a person. It includes everything from ensuring that data collection tools comply with industry standards, to the education of data collectors, as well as setting clear guidelines for the management of data.

It's important to distinguish between data reliability and validity, since they have different implications for the business. Data reliability is concerned with the consistency of the data (such that identical results could be achieved by repeating the measurement) and data validity is more concerned with accuracy (such as if it actually does what it is meant to measure).

Unreliable data could have many negative effects. For instance the case of a company that relies on data that is not reliable for making decisions and it ends with a loss of resources or invest in unprofitable projects. It could also cause a loss of trust among customers, employees, and partners and undermine accountability. In certain instances the use of insecure data may even have legal or regulatory consequences.

There are numerous ways to improve data reliability. Some of the most effective strategies are adopting standard procedures, educating data collectors, and providing reliable tools. It is also essential to establish feedback loops that allow data users to communicate any errors. It's also crucial to keep the integrity of your data by ensuring that all systems are reliability of data protection properly backup and recovery processes are working as intended.