Privacy by Design and the Promise of SmartData

Abstract

Recent years have seen technology grow at a rate never before encountered. The expansion of new technologies into daily life has offered unprecedented opportunities. However, as we benefit from the many advantages presented to us, we must also grapple with never before known concerns. Many of these pertain to the protection of our personal information. In this paper, it is my goal to address how personal data may be safeguarded by using information technology—to our advantage, not the opposite. My practical Privacy by Design (PbD) framework advances the concept that privacy should be built into technology and business practice right from the outset—well before the security of an individual’s personal data could ever be put at risk. An extension of PbD—PbD 2.0—is the concept of SmartData. SmartData empowers an individual’s personal data to “protect itself” by using virtual cognitive agents, in a manner that is both contextual and responsive to each individual’s needs. As technological innovations continue to impact the security of our personal information, I believe it is critical that privacy-enhancing technologies, such as SmartData, be employed to neutralize the threats that jeopardize our vital right to privacy, and in turn, our freedom.