Michael Queenan at Nephos Technologies discusses whether the UK can truly tackle data privacy in a way that will benefit both the public and businesses
The use of personal data by companies and third parties is a discussion that has been ongoing for years. Yet, its prominence has risen to new heights in recent months with legislation aiming to protect our data being brought before Parliament. The Online Safety Bill is being debated in the House of Lords and the Data Protection and Digital Information No.2 is currently in the committee stage of the bill passage, with views being invited until 13th June.
The problem is that, in the current day and age, ‘personal data’ has become something of an oxymoron - it’s anything but ‘personal’. We don’t own our data and we have limited control over what happens to it.
Sadly the power remains in the hands of the internet and app companies, the easier we make it for businesses to use our data, the more they will do so without proper consent. The main aim of any legislation regarding data privacy should be to protect the most vulnerable and that is the under 18 year olds.
However, if there are no age verification checks as a legal minimum standard, as there are with financial services applications, how will companies identify under 18s and protect them accordingly?
The most popular apps are so far ahead of what we are trying to stop. They can work out ages through what the user likes, what they comment on, what videos they watch and how they search for content - that is how they target this age group. Email addresses and Facebook accounts should not be accepted as proof of age when they are so easy to manipulate.
To acknowledge Know Your Customer checks and act responsibly would crush most of the apps’ business models, which is exactly why the matter has been left unheeded for so long. However, the UK has the chance to take the global lead and show the world that protecting our children’s rights matters more than keeping app companies happy.
Yet, the Online Safety Bill, as it stands, lacks any real punch or sufficient accountability. The aim of this bill should be around protecting under 18s, something the country and social media giants are failing to do. We have to introduce enforceable and meaningful legislation that explicitly protects future generations or quite simply we are letting them down.
Over the last 15 years, the rate of teen suicides has increased by more than 30%, directly correlating with the growth of social media. Holding social media bosses personally responsible for such deaths will provide more incentive to comply with regulation.
Placing this accountability with the top regional lead will be the most effective method and enforcing this from the outset will avoid the passing or deflection of blame between privacy officials and business leaders.
However, as the existing model of imposing fines has done nothing to stop these Goliaths, it would need to be properly enforced. Any Government must be strict with such legislation if we are to genuinely save our children from a world that we, ourselves, didn’t have to deal with.
When it comes to the Data protection and Digital Information Bill No.2, personal data privacy is being sold out for business benefit and innovation - but at what cost? Why else would important, already adopted, global data protection steps be removed?
Removing regulations undoubtedly makes compliance cheaper for businesses and any operational cost reductions are appealing in the current economic climate. Yet what needs to be collectively addressed is how to do this in a way that genuinely encourages business growth, drives innovation and protects our data - the holy grail for businesses.
It should not be made easier for businesses to use personal data without any trace, for the sole purpose of reducing pop-ups and cookies.
There appears to be an emphasis on this Bill acting as an enabler to international business, but any business who trades with other countries, including members of the EU, will still have to conform with their data laws.
This, therefore, only adds an unnecessary layer of complexity as businesses not only have to be compliant with their country’s laws, but multiple other laws in order to facilitate international trade.
Businesses have been on their knees thanks to energy prices, inflation and the wage crisis, we desperately need growth to get this country back on its feet. It’s private enterprises that drive innovation - so let’s support them.
It’s promising to see some light at the end of the tunnel in a recent report by Deloitte, showing the sharpest rise in optimism amongst CFO’s relating to the financial prospects of their businesses.
Let’s hope our leaders get behind enterprise and innovation by empowering UK business and putting us back on the map as an economic force to be reckoned with.
Michael Queenan is Co-Founder and CEO of Nephos Technologies
Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com
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