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June 14, 2021
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July 9, 2021
GDPR: the importance of privacy and data
Very commonly we hear that social networks get to know everything about us, we think that they only get to improve the way in which they sell us things. While this is the main reason for collecting and processing data, they can also fall into other practices that can affect us directly.
Below are some examples of data use and its close interrelationship with privacy. Afterwards, we include a brief timeline with the most important events in terms of privacy and data use.
Sensitive Categories
Imagine you are a practitioner of a religion that is not tolerated by the regime in power where you live. If it is an authoritarian regime that persecutes people with your profile, they might know specifically your activities, where you live, income, etc.
On the other hand, think that there is a platform that in order to function, collects racial data. This one can be hacked by some ultra-right-wing group that is characterized by physical violence against people with your characteristics.
As you may realize, privacy and data protection is particularly sensitive. Specifically in the European Union, since they have historically been used to persecute people. Such was the case known as IBM and the Holocaust, in which IBM made a computer that organized data to systematically identify Jewish citizens.
These are just some of the categories that fall under the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation as sensitive data.
In the following you will find a brief timeline on the importance of privacy and data. Here you will be able to understand the evolution of privacy awareness and the events that have led to legislation on data use.
Privacy timeline
- 1449: "La casa de un inglés es su castillo"
- Protection through the right to land from servants of the crown who wanted to enter the property to confiscate goods or take away freedom.
- 1440: Invention of the printing press. Dissemination of information impeded by low literacy.
- Eighteenth century: Higher literacy rates.
- People's concern about information privacy.
- Governments are exploring the need to protect information.
- 1790: In the USA, surveys are limited to only 4 questions.
- 1890: Surveys become more intrusive.
- 1919: Censuses begin to have more meaningful information on personal data.
- The publication of censuses is made illegal.
- 1930: "IBM and the Holocaust.
- 1948: Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- Article 12 contemplates the right to privacy.
- 1950: European Convention on Human Rights
- Article 8 contemplates means for seeking judicial remedy.
- 1960: Change in concern from family data to personal data.
- Threat by telephone tapping or surveillance.
- 1968: EU Recommendation 509 to evaluate Member States and their respect for privacy.
- 1980: OECD guidelines following the economic importance of data.
- Protection in the context of international data flow.
- 1995: European Union Data Protection Directive.
- 2016: GDPR: General Data Protection Regulation.
Como podrás notarlo, en los últimos años se han hecho más estrictas las provisiones para proteger la privacidad de los usuarios de internet. Paralelamente, se ha desarrollado la protección de datos en cuestiones internacionales, en principal medida debido a la relevancia que tienen en un mundo interconectado.
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[…] Conoce más sobre la historia de la importancia de la privacidad y el uso de datos. […]
[…] ¡Conoce más sobre la historia e importancia de la privacidad aquí! […]
[…] Conoce más sobre la importancia de la privacidad y el uso de datos aquí. […]
[…] Por ejemplo, el Reglamento General de Protección de Datos, es producto de la preocupación de la población por su privacidad. Esta preocupación surge desde la Segunda Guerra Mundial en la que se sistematizaron datos para identificar y perseguir a personas en el holocausto. Conoce más aquí. […]