Cybersecurity and Human Rights: Protecting Individual in Connected World

With the invention of cyberspace, the world has become more interconnected, and the convergence of human rights and cybersecurity has emerged as a crucial subject of apprehension. Such exponential growth of digital technologies has presented us with unique prospects for social interaction, commerce, and communication. Irrespective of this fact, cybersecurity introduces new kinds of threats to the privacy, freedom of expression, and other fundamental rights of individuals. In this paper we would investigate the problems and possibilities associated with protecting human rights in the face of expanding cybersecurity risks. It is considered to be vital that cybersecurity measures continue to advance in order to safeguard organisations and individuals from malicious cyber activities. However, these types of measures frequently involve data collection and surveillance, which may violate fundamental human rights including privacy, freedom of expression, and access to information. And it is believed that achieving a harmonious coexistence between the security of cybersecurity measures and the protection of human rights is an intricate and urgent matter. The paper will examine the subsequent fundamental questions as follows: To what extent do modern cybersecurity practices affect the privacy and freedom of expression of individuals? What type of ethical considerations arise when surveillance technologies are employed to improve cybersecurity measures? What can be the ways in which human rights can be safeguarded effectively by international frameworks and regulations in this digital age? What are the respective functions of governments, technology corporations, and civil society organisations for ensuring cybersecurity and protecting the rights of individuals? This paper aims to enhance an understanding regarding ways by which one navigates through the intricacies of cybersecurity and human rights in a world that is progressively more interconnected through addressing these questions.