The Evolution of the Right to Privacy in the Age of Digitisation

The rapid expansion of digital technologies has fundamentally transformed how personal data is generated, collected, and processed, making the right to privacy a cornerstone of contemporary human rights discourse. In the digital world, individuals constantly leave behind digital footprints through social media, e-commerce, online banking, and IoT devices. This has raised complex challenges regarding data protection, consent, surveillance, and algorithmic profiling. The right to privacy, recognized as a fundamental right by various constitutions and international conventions, now requires robust legal, ethical, and technological frameworks to safeguard personal autonomy and prevent misuse of sensitive data. This paper explores the evolution of privacy as a legal right, its intersection with data protection laws such as the EU GDPR and India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and the emerging threats posed by cybercrime, state surveillance, and AI-driven decision-making. It further examines global best practices, highlighting the need for a balanced approach that protects individual privacy while allowing for legitimate state and business interests in data processing. Ultimately, this study underscores the urgency of implementing comprehensive data governance models to ensure digital trust, security, and protection of human dignity in an increasingly interconnected world.