Privacy laws established by people and governments encourage everyone to create personal space for themselves. Over time, people have become vigilant about their privacy rights.
This created the movement that labels privacy as a fundamental human right. But how? Why exactly should privacy be considered a human right?
Why Does Privacy Matter So Much?
No matter who you are and where you work, consider privacy your number one right. It is a foundation that allows people to keep others at a safe distance.
As a working person, you might encounter different people every day from varying backgrounds. Is it reasonable to trust everyone with your personal and work-related matters? We don’t think so.
Securing your work-related data and information gives you a sense of surety of how it is being used and who else can access it. Also, it gives you power and control as a worker.
Following are the most prominent reasons why privacy should be considered a human right:
1. Privacy Helps Maintain Your Personal Space
Once you are logged onto the internet, everything stored on your device, including photos, contacts, and emails, is at risk of a data breach. In short, anyone can look at your digital footprint and take a peek into your life while having to face no consequences at all.
This makes your personal space vanish into thin air. Make sure your account is private if you use social media apps. Even then, the risk of getting hacked is always there, and the app team & servers will take no responsibility whatsoever.
Various groups have taken steps to solve the issue of personal space, but it’s up to you to use them properly. Personal space also means that you need to stop oversharing on social media.
2. Your Data Doesn’t Get in the Wrong Hands
Apps are getting advanced day by day. The things artificial intelligence can do are unimaginable. This also implies that the apps are getting more and more lethal. When you start an app for the first time, it asks for several permissions.
Some third-party apps are specifically designed for data theft. The app might be a photo editor, but it will ask for access to contacts. Did you ever ask yourself what’s the point? We recommend granting apps only your desired permissions.
Sometimes you ask someone to take care of your phone for a minute as you run a quick errand. No matter how trustworthy the other person is, always keep your device locked with a strong password.
If you feel that your data isn’t secure enough, use app locks with a different password than that of your lock screen to ensure the safety of your private data.
Apart from personal life, securing your work data in your office is important. You can make strong computer passwords to secure soft copies and backups. Consider implementing effective data security solutions in your workplace to protect the data.
3. Your Reputation Matters
Your digital footprint should be kept private. No one has the right to look into and judge your personal life.
No matter where you are, who you are, where you work, or your position, your reputation is dear to you, and there are always people who want to shred it down. The same is for the online world. Hackers and scammers are lingering right around the corner, waiting to tear your fame down.
All of us are different people at work than with friends. We don’t want to mix the two personalities up. You never know when someone might leak your chats with your friends and how badly it will affect your work life.
Use Two-Factor Authentication on your data to ensure maximum protection against data breaches.
4. Data Privacy Protects You From Financial Loss
Many companies ask for our data like name, home address, credit card information, and contact numbers. They might probably have good intentions, but if the company’s security is breached, it can result in harmful consequences for your privacy.
Giving away your financial information to make payments and purchases isn’t wrong. However, to maintain privacy, we recommend clearing everything from the servers and removing all information once your work is done.
5. Those Who Do Wrong Get Legally Prosecuted
When someone takes your information without permission and misuses it or holds it against you, it is and should be considered a major crime. Every country has laws to deal with them.
There are legal ways to fight data breaches. You can file a case against the person or company involved in the act. The laws of legal prosecution cover a complete investigation of the event, charge the guilty party with credit points, and compensate you based on mutual agreement.
Seek to recover your damage through financial compensation or data recovery and clear your financial or personal loss.
6. You Have Control Over Your Data
People who maintain their privacy and establish limits always have control over their data and decisions. It means you are a master of your choices and can easily limit access when needed. Once a user is confident about their data security, they are free to live a life of no fear.
We recommend encrypting your essential files and rejecting permissions from unnecessary people to have maximum control over your data.
7. Freedom of Speech and Thought
Freedom of speech is a human right that correlates with privacy. Let’s say you express your views on a social media app like Twitter. Some users may disagree with it and will go to any extent to tarnish your reputation and privacy.
Therefore, fear of a breach of personal data such as views and opinions may result in not-so-good consequences.
Freedom of thought is your right as it directly comes under privacy. You can take necessary steps like blocking your haters on social media or reporting them to avoid such mishaps.
Stay Safe and Establish Your Personal Boundaries
Privacy is an essential human right that enables people to determine their boundaries. You should build your confidence, protect yourself against financial loss, and have control over your data to make people understand when to stop.
A private life encounters fewer threats of data breach and lesser chances of being blackmailed. You can freely express yourself without worrying about any privacy intrusion.
But if you happen to encounter a privacy breach, we recommend taking legal action in case of any damage instead of trying to fix it yourself. Security starts with yourself, so keep your data protected and live your life to the fullest.
