If you’re a frequent user of social media applications like Facebook or Twitter, chances are that at one time or another you or one of your friends has posted something that you’d like to delete permanently and without any lasting trace of electronic evidence.
Facebook in particular has been known to save data on their content delivery network servers long after an account holder has attempted to delete it and it’s difficult, unless you work inside the company, to even know how bad the issue actually is.
The problem of having control over one’s own privacy on the internet has been growing at an alarming rate over the past few years, but now one government is finally actually working to address the issue.
The European Union has outlined a new data protection reform strategy, the “right to be forgotten” proposal, which would require internet companies to delete a consumer’s personal data upon request. Citizens would gain the ability to sue companies who do not comply with their request.
"The protection of personal data is a fundamental right,” said EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding. “We need clear and consistent data protection rules."
These proposed rules would not only cover a citizens’ right to delete, but would also govern how personal data can be used in a legal situation and ways to keep information secure even outside of the EU. Additionally, the legislation would change online targeted advertising from an opt-out service to one that would require informed consent for every service or website that processes user data.
The Commission will draft their actual proposal in 2011 after a period of public feedback through mid-January.
Certainly, I can’t be the only one who finds it refreshing that a government actually wants to stand up to corporations and support citizen’s dwindling privacy. It would be great to see other nations follow suit with similar legislation. Many people don’t realize just how vulnerable their information is online and companies should have to gain consent to use it, not require people to opt-out of something they don’t know is occurring. It’s sad that it has taken this long.
