The Government of British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, is set to ditch data-protection. It risks creating a wild west where peoples’ personal information will be exploited for profit and political purposes.

ImpACT International for Human Rights Policies, the London-based think tank expose, with growing apprehension, the UK Government’s consultation on data, innocuously labelled ‘Data: a new direction’. The intention is clear. The Government recognising that your data is ‘one of the most important resources in the world’ are planning to move away from the mandated consent model of collection to one where information can be even more easily accessed, processed, and sold. The aim seems to be to make life easier for data processors and controllers, in some cases allowing Artificial Intelligence to be the sole arbiter, rather than protecting peoples professional and personal freedom. Under this new system the computer says no to privacy and yes to profiling.

To dilute hard won protections will accelerate the process of citizens losing out to the emerging state-corporate complex.

- Robert Oulds, Executive Director of ImpACT International

British citizens should not just be alarmed about how businesses will snoop on their personal information and use it, expanding data mining is also a concern. It will lead to an international intrusion into private information where your life, interests, passions, opinions, could all become commodities to be bought and sold on global markets to those that are less scrupulous than British businesses.

Economic risk

The Government changes will lead to small and medium sized enterprises falling further behind their big tech rivals. A divergence from European Union GDPR standards may lead to a situation where British data has insufficient protections. In that scenario it could lead to Brussels revoking their ‘adequate’ assessment of current UK data handling. Losing that status could prevent business from receiving the benefits of data sharing throughout the European Economic Area. The current clearly defined rules are arguably an aid to economic development as businesses have surety as to the legal environment they are operating in.

Taking back control of personal data

ImpACT International propose the adoption of a series of policies that should replace the Government’s plans to role back data protection. Conversely, we aim to protect and enhance policies that keep your information safe. Parliament should create a new legal culture and code of practice to protect personal data.

• There should be active judicial oversight and appeal over any decision by the ICO not to act or take sanctions following a complaint.
• Legal protections for whistle-blowers who expose abuses of data by both private and public bodies.
• Codify a new reinforced charter on data protection principles.
• Recognise the overmighty and near omnipotent power of some corporations who own multiple social media platforms.
• Establish a Royal Commission to investigate big tech power and make recommendations on reforming the market.
• Competition in the market and a reduction in a company’s capacity to obtain data requires the breaking up of tech conglomerates using anti-monopoly procedures.
• Establish the principle that any reduction on data protection can only be approved by a national and binding referendum.

Robert Oulds, Executive Director of ImpACT International states, “Alarmingly, the trend of technology being harnessed to spy on consumers and citizens is growing, this will be to the detriment of freedom and will make already overmighty corporations, who can exploit your data, even more powerful. An intrusive state allied with big business will only damage good governance and distort the proper functioning of a free economy.

“To dilute hard won protections will accelerate the process of citizens losing out to the emerging state-corporate complex. This transfer of power, wealth, and data from the people to the super wealthy uber-elite must end.”