As the internet continues to grow in its influence on our lives, there is a growing concern about its overall legality. The reason behind this is that the internet has become a confluence point for people.
However, rapid advancement is not always good. It presents the complex challenge of protecting data and legal rights online. By law, every individual who uses the internet is protected under certain laws.
In this article, we will review those rights and provide some general tips on how to safeguard your legal rights and online privacy. Let’s go!
Table of Contents
Overview Of Digital Rights & Their Importance
What are digital rights? Are they important? Yes, digital right is not a fad term created by the internet crowd to sound woke. Think of digital rights as an extension of your basic human rights into the digital landscape. Like traditional human rights, these also ensure that your freedom of expression, access to information, and privacy are protected and respected by other entities.
These rights are crucial, as they determine how personal data and information are handled by other online entities. These rights are similar to the ones your constitution has given you. For example, the right to speech and expression, unrestricted access to everyone, and the freedom to exercise privacy.
The importance of safeguarding these rights is paramount. This is because the internet plays a major role in our daily lives. Social media is an integral social phenomenon. It is an extension of our society. Therefore, exercising and enforcing these rights governs the flow of information and inclusivity.
On the other side of the spectrum, we have enhanced surveillance. In some way, enhanced surveillance by the governing bodies is a necessary evil. In recent years, the number of data and privacy breaches by online miscreants has been increasing. Therefore, governing bodies have implemented more vigilant oversight.
As a result, online rights advocates have expressed concern about how governmental surveillance is eroding people’s rights. Some believe that this surveillance is becoming more draconian over time. In some ways, none of our online privacy is safe. Either governmental bodies are taking advantage of or cybercriminals are. Hence, some might say that digital human rights are a myth.
Key Digital Legal Rights
Governing bodies have highlighted several key digital rights that every individual has online. No organization can cut into these rights, except for the government, to enforce a better structure:
Right to Privacy: This allows an individual to control and safeguard their personal information or other sensitive data. This is very important for maintaining online autonomy.
Right to Protect Data: This is an extension of the right to privacy. The right to protect data ensures that sensitive information is safeguarded through proper checks and safeguards. If a website collects user data, it is under a legal obligation to protect it from all kinds of breaches.
Right to Freedom of Expression: This enables individuals to express their opinions on online platforms without fear of subjugation or online aggression. However, freedom of expression cannot be used to undermine the rights of others. Then that increases a sense of complexity.
Right to Access Information: The Digital arena lives and breathes data. Therefore, this right ensures that data and information flow optimally and on a need-to-know basis.
Right to Digital Security: The right ensures that every human being is protected under optimal cybersecurity.
Practical Tips for Safeguarding Online Privacy
Protecting your online persona is not solely the responsibility of your digital legal aid or the government. It befalls equally on you. Here are some tips that will help you to exercise your online legal rights properly:
Strong Passwords & MFA: One of the most basic things that you can do is implement or use a strong password or trust sites that offer MFA or Multi Factor Login. To ensure your data and profile remain protected.
Updating Software: Stay in the habit of updating your software to take advantage of the latest security patches and updates.
Cybersecurity Support: If you are a digital entrepreneur, it is essential always to hire cybersecurity support. You owe it to your clients. Not only that, you are under a legal obligation as well.
Miscellaneous Means: Apart from the ones we have discussed, there are other ways to handle cybersecurity, such as installing a VPN extension. An extension VPN would allow you to remain incognito and still surf the internet extensively.
Legal Bodies That Govern Digital Rights
Three governmental bodies primarily enforce the legality of the digital landscape. Understanding these governing bodies will help you in understanding the overall scope of protection:
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – European Union: The highest governing body for data protection in the European Union.
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) – United States: The highest governing body to decide consumer protection and privacy data.
Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) – Singapore: The highest governing body when it comes to personal data.
Are You Protected?
One of the biggest questions to answer is: Are we protected? Governmental agencies have started conducting more intensive surveillance of data to prevent criminals from obtaining it. However, in their effort to do so, they are undermining some of the most fundamental digital rights bestowed upon us. Therefore, are we truly protected? Or is the myth of cyber protection only a myth?
