Excerpt from Deccan Herald Article – Published on Aug 30, 2023
In the digital age, the concept of personal data protection is fraught with challenges. While many nations have enacted data privacy laws, such as the GDPR in the EU, the US Privacy Act, the California Consumer Privacy Act, and India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, the effectiveness of these laws remains questionable. Is it truly possible to safeguard personal data, or is it an unattainable utopia?
To delve into this issue, let’s first consider personal digital data. Who generates it, owns it, stores it, controls it, regulates it, and profits from it? Take, for instance, a simple act like sharing a selfie. You snap a photo on your iPhone, send it via email, and your partner posts it on a social network. By doing so, you consent to global online platforms storing and processing your image.
Now, let’s trace the access points to your data. Apple makes your iPhone, Google handles the email transmission, Lenovo stores the image, and your partner may use various apps and social media platforms. Additionally, telecom companies often share your personal information with commercial partners, leading to an onslaught of spam calls.
Governments aim to hold tech companies responsible for data privacy, appointing data protection officers and creating oversight boards. However, with billions of daily image uploads and massive internet traffic, enforcing regulation seems nearly impossible.
The internet’s evolution, driven by advertising and user preferences for convenience over privacy, has resulted in widespread data sharing. Cloud campuses have emerged globally to store data redundantly, multiplying the locations where your image resides.
The reality is that personal data is dispersed across numerous entities, and there’s no international agreement capable of safeguarding it. Fines for tech companies alone won’t suffice. Personal data protection remains an intricate challenge in our interconnected world.
To delve deeper into this topic, please read the full article on Deccan Herald.
