The data protection and privacy field is now a major issue of human rights and consumer rights, and has many legal, technology, business and government elements. With a platform of developing technology and growing databases, use and sharing of our personal information has become the norm in big business and big government. There are many positive aspects to information technology developments, but these have often crowded out necessary care with people’s information and privacy rights.

Privacy and data protection regulation is a constantly developing field. In NZ amendments to our Privacy Act are still waiting for enactment nearly 20 years after they were first seen as necessary. Many other pieces of legislation being considered on an ongoing basis have strong privacy implications, such as those governing government data sharing and use, and the intelligence agencies.

In the business sector, interactions between New Zealanders and businesses they deal with now require a reasonable level of awareness by customers of privacy implications – if they are to keep some control over their own information. In addition, use of social media has become routine, with significant advantages for communication but underlying risks for privacy.

Credit: Chris Slane  www.slane.co.nz