14 August, 2016

Topic 4 Publication of Information Privacy and Data Protection SEM9

Topic 4 Publication of  Information Privacy and Data Protection

1.  Define what is privacy;    
2.  Explain the categories of privacy;    
3.  Identify the limits within which the law works to protect privacy; and    
4.  Discuss the principles of data protection.  

INTRODUCTION  
The media in general have no right of access to information over other members  of the public. They may obtain information by searching for them from sources  available. The public has, many times, objected to the ways in which information  about them is published and the ways in which this information is obtained. For  example,   when   the  media  enter  premises  without  consent  or  secretly  take  photographs, the person affected describes this as an „invasion of privacy.‰   Therefore, in this topic, we will discuss the publication of information, particularly  privacy and data protection, in greater detail.                           

4.1           WHAT IS PRIVACY?  
Before   we      proceed,   do   you   know         the   meaning   of   privacy?   Privacy         has   been  defined as follows (see Table 4.1):                                       

Table 4.1: Definition of Privacy                              

Definition of Privacy                                            
Source   / A sphere of space that has not been dedicated to public use or  Professor Milton  control.   It   is   a   kind   of   space   that   a   man   carries   with   him   into   his Konvits  bedroom      or   into  the  street.  Then  when    public  /   is  part  of  his  property    /   with    respect   to  which   its  owner    has  delegated    no  power to the state /   The desire of people to choose freely under what circumstances and  Alan Westin  privacy  to   what   extent   they   will  expose    themselves,    their  attitude   and  scholar  behaviour to others.   No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy,              

Article 12 Universal  family, home or correspondence, or to attacks upon his honour and                   Declaration of Human  reputation.     Everyone    has   the  right  to  the  protection   of  the  law    Rights  against such interference or attacks.  
? Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life,               

Article 8 of the       his home and his correspondence.                                              
European Convention     on Human Rights  ? There   shall   be   no   interference   by   a   public   authority   with   the (ECHR)       exercise of this right except such as in accordance with the law       and    is  necessary   in  a  democratic    society   in  the  interests  of       national   security,   public   safety   or   the   economic   well-being   of       the   country,   for   the   prevention   of   disorder   or   crime,   for   the       protection     of  health  or  morals,   or  for  the  protection    of  the       rights and freedoms of others.    

4.2           CATEGORIES OF PRIVACY   Mainly, there are four categories of privacy (refer to Table 4.2):         

Table 4.2: Categories of Privacy    
Categories of Privacy                                          
Description   Information privacy             
This refers to such information that is not available to the public,     for example, information on the private lives of a public figure.  
Bodily privacy.  This   refers  to  the  right  to  have   a  personal   space,   for  example,                                  pictures of the private lives of a celebrity.  

Communications                 
This  refers  to  whatever  communications  made   between  persons.   It  privacy                         should not be secretly listened to and published by others.  

Territorial privacy             
This is similar to bodily privacy. Where bodily privacy refers more                                  to a person’s space, territorial privacy refers to certain premises, for      example, the person’s house.   

4.3            HOW PRIVACY MAY BE PROTECTED  
There is no doubt that the right to privacy has often been acknowledged to exist;  however, its protection by courts is vague. The courts do not recognise a right to  privacy per se. Privacy has been indirectly recognised through other areas of the  law (refer to Table 4.3):                                          

Table 4.3: Areas of the Law     Areas of the Law             
                                
Description Trespass      
           
The key element in all forms of trespass is that the wrong is actionable per         se,   that   is   to   say,   the   plaintiff   can  sue   even   though   he   has   suffered   no       damage (W.V.H. Rogers, 1994). The tort of trespass to land rewards the      land owner for a temporary loss of use of his land. For example, in the    pursuit of information, the media trespassed on the owner’s land (Wacks,  1995).  

Nuisance                  
Nuisance has been defined as the unlawful interference with a person’s  use or enjoyment of land, or some right over, or in connection with it,                            
The interference needs to be on-going (more than once) (W.V.H. Rogers, 1994).  

Defamation                

Defamation       protects   a  person’s   reputation.    In  relation   to  protecting                             privacy, defamation protects a person’s reputation from being published,                             from being exposed to the public. However, the weakness of this area of                             law    in  relation   to  privacy    is  the  defence    of  justification  (truth)  in                             defamation is an absolute defence.  

Confidential              
Confidential   information   law   protects  that   information   that   is   secret.   In  Information                certain    circumstances     the   law   imposes    a   duty   on   the  recipient   of                             information to keep certain information confidential. Not all information                             can be bought and sold as one pleases.                                    

 4.4          WHAT IS DATA PROTECTION?  
In   Malaysia,   there   is   no   express   provision   for   the   protection   of   privacy   per   se.  Thus, there is a pressing need to protect personal data. According to Mohamed  Nor Hj Abd Aziz (2003), The term personal data protection (PDP) and privacy  has been used interchangeably. It is a universal value relevant to each individual,  as it inheres the dignity of the individual. The legislation on privacy provides the  opportunity for individuals to the rights of protection for their personal privacy.   The     PDP    would     complement       the   existing    cyber   laws.   Initially,   a  proposed  Personal      Data    Protection     Bill  (PDP)    aims     to  address     personal     data.   Data  protection   is   the   protection   of   any   form   of   data.   It   may   be   personal   data,   or  business      data.   However,      as  stated    earlier,  Malaysia      intends    to  enforce    the  protection   of   personal   data   by   having   the   Personal   Data   Protection   Bill   (PDP).  The scope of this bill is any personal data relating to individuals. Section 2 of the  Bill defines personal data.     

Section 2 provides:      Any   information   recorded   in   a   document   in   which   it   can   practically   be   processed     wholly    or  partly  by  any   automatic   means   or   otherwise   which   relates  directly  or     indirectly to a living individual who is identified or identifiable from that information     or from that and other information in the possession of the data user including and any     indication of the intentions of the data user in respect of that individual.    

4.5          PRINCIPLES ON DATA PROTECTION  
The PDP lays down nine data protection principles (in the First Schedule). Section  4 provides that data users must comply with the nine principles.   The nine data protection principles are:  

(a)    Principle 1: Fair Collection Principle           
Manner of collection of personal data           This   principle   provides   for   the   fair   and   lawful   collection   of   data   for   a           lawful purpose related to the function of the data user


(b)    Principle 2: Purpose Specification Principle          

Purpose of collection of personal data         
This   provides   for   adequate,   relevant but   not   excessive   collection   of   data          for a lawful purpose related to the function of the data user.  

(c)    Principle 3: Use Limitation Principle          
Use of personal data         
Provides   that   unless   with   the   consent  of   the   data   subject,   personal   data          should   be   used   only   for   the   purpose   for   which   they   are   collected   or   a          purpose directly related to the purpose for which they are collected.  

(d)    Principle 4: Confidentiality Principle          
Disclosure of personal data         
Provides that unless the data subject gives consent, personal data can only          be disclosed for the purpose of which the data was obtained or a directly          related purpose.  

(e)    Principle 5: Accuracy Principle          
Accuracy of personal data         
Provides   that   personal   data   should  be   accurate,   complete,   relevant,   not          misleading and up to date.  

(f)    Principle 6: Minimality Principle          
Duration of personal data         
Provides that personal data should not be kept longer than necessary.  

(g)    Principle 7: Individual Participation Principle          
Access to and correction to personal data         
Provides for individuals to have rights of access to and correction of their          personal data

Security of personal data         
Requires practical measures to safeguard security of personal data.   

(i)    Principle 9: Accountability Principle          
Information to be generally available         
Requires data users to be open about the data held and the main purpose          for which the data are to be used. The data privacy policy of the data user          should be ascertainable.   However, after consultation with various  sections of the public and industry, it  was later suggested that the first draft PDP will be modified in accordance with  the United States Safe Harbour arrangement. It will be divided into two sectors,  the private and public sector.  

The   private   sector   PDP   principles   (Mohamed   Nor   Hj   Abd   Aziz,   2003)   are   as  follows:  
(a)    Notice Principle;  
(b)    Choice Principle;   (c)    Disclosure Principle;   
(d)    Security Principle;  
(e)    Data Integrity Principle;  
(f)    Access Principle; and  
(g)    Enforcement Principle.  

The    Public   Sector  PDP    Principles   (Mohamed       Nor   Hj  Abd   Aziz,   2003)  are  as  follows:  
(a)    Collection, use and disclosure by public sector only by written law;  
b)    Right to access by written law;  
(c)    Responsibility to protect personal data; and  
(d)    Public sector to have a PDP policy.                                            

SELF-CHECK 4.1         
1.  Explain what is privacy.         
2.  How is privacy protected? Explain.         
3.  Explain what is data proctection.           

ACTIVITY 4.1       
Discuss   the   applicable   areas   of   law  that   protects   privacy   and   examine whether it protects privacy.  
? Everyone has the right of respect for his private and family life, his home and      his correspondence.  
? People   may   choose   freely   under   particular   circumstances   and   the   extent   to      which they will expose themselves, their attitude and behaviour to others.  
? The courts do not recognise a right to privacy per se.  
? Privacy   has   been   indirectly   recognised   through   other   areas   of   the   law   like      trespass, nuisance, confidential information and defamation.  
? Personal Data Protection Bill (PDP) addresses personal data.  
? The PDP lays down nine principles on data protection.  

Confidential information                          
Nuisance Data                                           
Personal space  
Data principles                                   
Right of access to information  
Defamation                                       
Trespass  

Invasion of privacy

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