What is Data Privacy? Your Data, Your Rules, Your Future

Data privacy is what empowers individuals with control over their personal information.

It’s as simple as that, giving people agency over their identity in the digitized world.

It’s also a fundamental human right. 

For reference, here’s Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

So, what is data privacy but something that’s as important as the right to be:

• Free from torture
• Equal under the law
• Free from slavery
• Presumed innocent until found guilty
• Free to express themselves

Data privacy is also one of the United Nations Human Rights Council resolutions, and is reinforced by the hundreds of privacy laws that have emerged globally over the last decade.

And that’s because of the harm people can suffer if their data gets into the wrong hands.

Given this, data privacy is the digital bodyguard that protects people online.

All in all, it’s a pretty big deal, even if there are many who argue that a lot has gone wrong with internet user data rights.

But of course, we all have responsibilities ourselves. People should protect their rights by reading up on the subject of privacy. They can also pay attention to the settings of their: 

• Devices, 
• Browsers, 
• Apps, and 
• Accounts.

They can also be proactive about many of their rights to privacy - and particularly the right to access, edit, or delete whatever information that businesses hold about them.

But here’s the kicker:

Privacy laws exist to protect people from having their personal information exploited by businesses.

So businesses take note, these laws are there to control you. It means that organizations need to handle personal data:

Responsibly.

Transparently.

And securely!

So, on to the third and final pillar of data protection.

Risk management covers all the work needed to systematically identify, assess, and minimize the risks involved when handling personal data.

So while privacy and security address how data is managed and protected, risk management is the third eye 👀 that allows businesses to search for and then address potential threats and vulnerabilities in their infrastructure.

These risks could be anything from data breaches and system failures to non-compliance with regulations.

But by being proactive about risk management, businesses put themselves in a good position to prevent or minimize the impact of these dangers.

That’s 70% of the world with data privacy laws in place. So for the moment there’s 30% of the global population that might not know what is data privacy, but they soon will once the remaining countries get their acts together and finish drafting their own legislation.

This legislation represents “No Trespassing” signs that are hammered deep into personal data, and we’ve got a whole section of our website dedicated to these global privacy laws.

In effect, they establish clear guidelines on how customer data can be collected, used, stored, and shared. 

Privacy Laws give people the power to hold businesses accountable when they fall short of their legal obligations.

For instance, the European Union’s GDPR and California’s CCPA give their respective citizens the right to know what information is being collected on them, who has access to this data, and the reasons why businesses need it in the first place.

And if obligations aren’t met, these laws also empower individuals to take action, something that they can do by filing complaints, seeking compensation, or demanding the correction or deletion of their information.

When data protection is considered at each stage of the data lifecycle, it ensures that information is handled in compliance with all legal, ethical, and organizational standards. 

And in practice, this encompasses the processes and practices that will safeguard the privacy of individuals and ensures that their personal data is managed with the care and respect that it deserves.

Now, it’s important to note that data privacy creates some friction between businesses and internet users.

-> Businesses see data as the lifebood of digital success, with many feeling that more data therefore means better results.

-> Customers are highly aware of the dangers posed by the internet to their personal information, and want to control who has access to it (and how much).

Businesses and internet users also have very different levels of understanding when it comes to what is a data privacy policy, data collection practices, and compliance responsibilities:

However, times are changing:

-> Users now have more control over data collection practices.

-> Businesses don’t have to worry about the high cost of privacy measures anymore, and understanding privacy policies and data privacy laws is also easier than ever.

Privacy is now easier to achieve for everyone thanks to privacy-first technologies.

New laws often stimulate innovation, something that has been shown to be true during the current age of data privacy.

From cookieless analytics to privacy-respecting website builders, consent management platforms, and chatbots, businesses have the tech at their fingertips that can remove their privacy compliance burden completely.

What’s more, enhancing data privacy is a great way for companies to increase their ESG ratings, and open themselves up to more investment opportunities.

But it’s also a social good that will increase trust, and with customer loyalty and sales!

That's Data Privacy Explained

And that's it, that's your introduction to the world of data privacy.

It's a fascinating subject, and one that will only increase in importance as data privacy laws develop and enforcement agencies become more effective.

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