Data Privacy: The Way Forward

There has been rapid technological advancement in the 21st century. The advent of technologies like the internet, smartphones, artificial intelligence and mobile applications have enhanced the standard of living and reduced the distances between people. A lot of the new technologies require that the users input their personal data in order for them to function smoothly. The data requirements often mandate that the user needs to share certain sensitive and personal information which if misused can cause great harm to the user. The developers of the technologies are at an advantage since they can force the users to forcefully agree to the sharing of data in order to properly access their technology. This has raised serious concerns about the privacy of the data of the users and their safety. Therefore, the development of an effective legal and regulatory framework needs to ensure that the development of new technology does not compromise the data privacy of the general population and make them vulnerable to the leakage of their data. The European Union introduced the GDPR, which is said to be a watershed moment for Data Privacy and more accountability for corporations. The paper analyses the regime for data privacy prevailing in different Jurisdictions across the world. It also seeks to provide suggestions as to how the regime can be further strengthened so that the users do not have to face adverse consequences for using modern technology.