Technological | The Impact Of Technological Advances On Privacy

The unstoppable technological evolution places us today in scenarios that not many years ago could only have been described as science fiction.
In our day-to-day we use various electronic devices, gadgets, both in the recreational, personal or domestic and professional fields, with unprecedented information gathering capabilities that have a very significant impact on the development of the most personal sphere of privacy of the individual and which, together with current data processing and enrichment techniques, allow endless subsequent uses of the data initially collected, which are often unpredictable for users.

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Personal Data:

We have refrigerators that tell us which products have been sold out, activity wristbands that measure our lifestyle, cognitive performance and inform us about certain aspects of our health; smartphones that constantly geolocate us and tell us how much time we have left to get home; streaming platforms that recommend the next series or movie to watch and are even capable of creating series based on the preferences that their users previously showed.
Although the advantages and facilities that the use of new technological devices gives us are undeniable, the impact they have on privacy must be weighed, when considering certain points of conflict with those principles that should govern all processing of
A negative answer to the questions previously posed would entail a situation of lack or loss of control of the interested parties over their personal data, even more so if we take into account the possibility of selling data packages and their subsequent combination with other sets of information, achieving a complete user profile; Therefore, it is essential to make users aware of the personal data processing capabilities of new technologies, because although the subsequent use of the data may be outside their control, if it is their choice to determine the exposure of your private life and personal data.

Although each case requires a particular analysis of the legal implications that assesses the intrinsic risks of the technological devices involved, as well as the risks derived from the type of personal data, affected groups and treatment activities carried out, in general terms the following risks stand out for user privacy and breach of personal data protection regulations:
Lack of transparency – where, how, for what and who – and legitimation of the treatment.
Constant monitoring of the user.
Sale and combination of data packages.
Possibility of re-identification of the interested parties.
Subsequent uses incompatible with the original purpose.
Profiling.
Difficulties in exercising the legal rights of the interested party, Security flaws.

Given the topicality of the subject, after the publication by the Data Protection of the Guide ” Drones and Data Protection “, we will make a special mention of the impact that the use of said devices generates on the privacy of the users themselves and of third parties; while these devices have various functionalities aimed at capturing information: cameras, GPS, scanner, detection systems and WIFI and / or bluetooth connection devices, among others; thereby making clear its ability to interfere with the fundamental rights and freedoms of the interested parties.
In the aforementioned publication, the Data Protection Agency clarifies the obligations of those who operate with drones, highlighting the vital relevance of compliance with the principles established by current regulations for the processing of personal data, emphasizing – without distinction between its recreational or professional use – in the ability to re-identify the subjects and granting a prevailing position to compliance with the principle of data minimization, preventing third parties from outside – either the private user or the purpose that motivated the use by the professional drone operator – can be identified, encouraging the use of privacy masks or other blurring technique.