Online privacy is about sharing

By Frederic Donck, Director European Regional Bureau, Internet Society*

What interests me most is the conversation about the personal data ecosystem as this reflects the fundamental principles of the Internet – user-centricity, control of data by the user (or data subject), transparency in terms of use.

There are many angles to this dialogue – namely, privacy, security and reliability. And the ease of use for the user is at the heart of these concepts. As a panellist, I intend to tackle the privacy aspect of the debate.

Let’s be clear about what this entails. Online privacy is about sharing. By this, I mean sharing data in an explicit context with an expectation of scope. This is not secrecy (ie the protection of information to prevent sharing) nor is it anonymity (which obviates the need for privacy). Rather, privacy is a multistakeholder issue. And we need to appreciate that the concept of privacy is not universal.

Last but far from least, the online privacy challenge cannot be resolved by just one tool. Instead, a combination of tools, including laws, best practices, technology, business practices and education, must be deployed. It’s worth noting that the personal data ecosystem is rather new and came from the realisation that personal data has economic value as well as data control by the user.

The model brings many benefits, including greater ability for the user to participate in the market of their personal data and the reduction of some security risks and some privacy risks. But there are still issues to be discussed from the technical, regulatory, business and privacy perspectives. And that’s what I’m hoping to see aired at this World Economic Forum on Europe and Central Asia.

*Frederic Donck will attend the World Economic Forum on Europe and Central Asia in Vienna, Austria 8-9 June 2011 and is guest blogging for the Forum.