It is accepted by all national and international treaties that data privacy is a basic human right. Although most countries have explicitly recognized the right to privacy in their constitutions, for others the right to privacy varies.
Have you ever wondered what happens to your personal information after you have given it to a stranger? As I worried about my data privacy after providing personal information to subscribe to the Spectrum internet service, I had to seek some answers. If you are worried about data privacy too, this might help you.
What is Data Privacy and Security?
Typically, data privacy includes:
- security and privacy of personal information (such as your medical records),
- protection of body (like the info of your drug tests),
- personal space (your homes), and
- the privacy of all kinds of communications (such as the history of your calls, messages, emails, social media profiles, and so on).
Now that you know what is data privacy, it is time to understand what data security means.
Data security ensures that all kinds of personal data that has been gathered, stored, or used by anyone other than the data owner is safe and cannot be used by third parties without the right authorization. The past decade has raised concern for data security and safety all over the world mainly because of the globalization bought on by technological advancements and social media. Businesses, companies, and corporations of all kinds are supposed to develop and implement ethical data privacy protection policies and laws.
How is Data Privacy Influenced by COVID-19?
The Coronavirus pandemic has forced governments all over the world to create and enforce exceptional policies and measures to secure the data privacy of the public. For instance, millions of people had to use technology and adopt the work from home policy. People had to find new ways of gathering, processing, and sharing personal data.
In addition to that, firms that specifically handle information related to identification, finances, health, and so on, had to upgrade their security measures to safeguard data and minimize the risk of a breach. This pandemic has also highlighted data security concerns for which immediate measures must be taken such as:
• What type of data is gathered and How?
• Where and long it’s stored
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments across the globe are making tremendous efforts to protect the people by containing the virus. To make that happen, they have used technology to gather and share data to analyze it. This was done to reduce the rate of infection. Implement better policies, and speed up the research on creating a viable vaccine.
What Can be Done to Ensure Data Privacy and Security?
These are special circumstances and special measures. Need to be taken to ensure the right balance is maintained between public safety. And health as well as the need for data security and privacy. Data privacy and security can be ensured by making a collaborative effort where the governments and all kinds of business corporations work together in safeguarding people’s fundamental right to privacy.
Ensure their Compliance with the Laws of Privacy
All kinds of data that have been gathered under the umbrella of modified laws, emergency acts, and to provide COVID-19 related guidance, must be identified and analyzed to make sure that all sorts of ongoing data collection, analyses, or data sharing follow the laws of privacy.
Confirm People’s Data Rights and Consent
Governments and companies must make sure that people’s consent is taken. Before gathering data in places where the situation requires continuous collection of data. Although the nature of emergency during the pandemic required. And implicit consent to the provision of people’s personal data. It must be ensured that laws requiring explicit consent. Will be enforced after the situation is under control.
Verify Data Security and Privacy
During this health crisis. People all over the globe were forced to use various technological processes. Such as working remotely and collaborating with colleagues via making video conference calls. As well as I also worked from home and used Spectrum TV services. To avoid the panic created by the pandemic.
Possibly, many companies had to implement. This fast-paced technological adaptation. Without going through the usual assessment of the third-party risk-management process. With that in mind, it is of utmost importance. That (going forward) businesses must make sure to close all gaps in their verification processes. To avoid all kinds of possible violations with relevance to privacy laws or security.
