GDPR Made Me Realise Data Control Is A Human Right
GDPR in Poland is called RODO. Like all the EU countries we are busy implementing those broad regulations. They affect everyone. At first I perceived this as pointless. But I changed my mind. GDPR is an attempt to build a better future for society.
Dumb Regulation?
When GDPR first popped onto my radar few months ago I thought it was an ridiculous piece of law. Some absurd interpretations circling around didn’t help me see the meaning of this bill. I saw the effort to implement it as not producing any value in my work. Just a formality. But then I had to start working on it and understood it’s meaning.
GDPR made me think about how much data we have? Do we really need it? How are we making sure it’s secure? Are we handling this data right? Are we doing any harm to the people who’s data we store and process? And ooo ona and so on.
Beyond Anti-Spam: Data Crunching In Near Future
Common understanding of the GDPR is that it is there to prevent spam. It often comes with a conviction that it’ll impact only the legit businesses and spammers will continue their operations in regular fashion. No, GDPR is much more than that!
Imagine a future where most of data processing is automated. Where all data available - including personal and private - will be constantly crunched by bots, assistants, run through probabilistic systems and automated data miners. For your benefit or not. Based on what’s found in that data you will be (already are) marketed and sold to, permitted or denied services, etc. Prices will be set based on your profile. Data is quickly becoming the most important part of the economy. Just take a look at growing importance and value of Google and Facebook. In the end all they do is process OUR data.
Data Ownership Is A Basic Human Right
You wouldn’t want your data to be left to chance, to be subject to unknown software or shady business exploiting it? You want to know who has your data and be able to adjust or remove it. Sure spammers will dodge and circumvent this regulation. Especially before we learn how to use and apply it. But after a while the culture, court decisions and business practices will start to change.
This is why we’re having the GDPR / RODO. It’s here to raise awareness to the fact that OUR DATA IS important and it should be handled with care. GDPR is a step towards admitting that controlling our data is a basic human right! Soon it’ll be as important as access to clean water and air.
PS. This post is an expansion of a LinkedIn update I published two days ago. Clearly GDPR got under my skin and made me think about data.