What is the first thing we do when we get a project or a homework assignment we have little knowledge about? What is the easiest way to learn a new recipe or look someone up right at our fingertips? We google it! Google has all the information about anything and everything under the sun just one click away. In today's era Google has become as important as the air we breathe!
Google not only has all the world's information universally accessible but also has personal information of people. Many social media platforms are a centre for searching and connecting. Most of us post our daily activities on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. The question arises that, in a world where a person from Africa can access the personal information of a person from Asia, is it wise to feed the cyber predators exactly the information they need?
With the world going digital, most of our possessions including banking systems and personal records are digital as well. No doubt,digitalization is an important feature of modernisation and makes our life easier. But, this also makes it a target for cyber frauds.
An even bigger, scarier fact is that Artificial Intelligence uses its information to subtly manipulate people by featuring ads and content which the user might be interested in. Once we see a video or a post that attracts our attention or when we press the like button, Al keeps giving suggestions for the same type of content. YouTube or Instagram has a certain algorithm which favors specific types of videos and decides which ones will go viral and which ones won't.
A very famous case in this regard is the 'Cambridge Analytica scandal'. In the 2010s, personal data belonging to millions of Facebook users was collected without their consent by British consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, predominantly to be used for political advertising. The data was collected through an app called "This Is Your Digital Life" and it asked the users various psychological questions for profile building. Cambridge Analytica used the data to provide analytical assistance to the 2016 presidential campaigns of Ted Cruz and Donald Trump.
Users favouring Conservative party were reportedly given negative reviews about it and positive information about the Republican party. If Al can manipulate us in changing our political party, what is the limit?
Al is always listening...keeping a silent watch. Just yesterday, I was talking on my phone to my friend about gifting her a makeup kit, and guess what! Without providing any information I got targeted ads about foundations, lipsticks, and mascara! It makes one wonder: Do we really have our privacy even when we are alone?
The Indian government has taken a step forward to stop misuse of personal information by introducing a new digital personal data protection bill. The proposed bill gives an individual various rights to ask apps and websites in relation to their personal data. Individuals have a right to know whether personal data about them is being processed or has been processed by a company and how it is being processed.
The Right to Privacy is now a fundamental Right covered within the ambit of Right to life and personal liberty under Article 21.
On a personal level, we can take care by ensuring the rights under this preview and stop giving personal information on various apps unnecessarily. Let's all be alert, be safe!
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