Personal Data Is Collected By All Public And Private Organizations: Information Risks And Security Essay, UCC, Ireland

Personal data is collected by all public and private organizations today irrespective of their core product and service offerings. However, the collection and processing of personal data brings with it challenges for managers from an ethical, legal, strategic, and risk standpoint.

In addition, as consumers, we have become accustomed to disclosing personal information in all aspects of our lives from interacting with online organizations to using mobile applications, and IoT devices. On the one hand, data collection enables the personalization of online offerings. However, the ubiquity of this data collection can dilute individuals’ privacy and lead to individuals engaging in privacy-protective behaviors such as engaging in technical solutions (e.g. adblockers), and information provision behaviors (e.g. falsifying or withholding data).

Such behaviors can damage the quality of data organizations have access to in order to make informed decisions. So how can individuals’ desire for some privacy be reconciled with organizations’ desire for data? The purpose of this essay is to discuss the competing interests of at least two invested parties in a given domain, outlining the benefits of data collection and the security and privacy considerations they bring. Leveraging existing literature and theory, you must propose a solution to address the concerns of each party.

Example domains include:

1. Government surveillance using ICT

2. Health information technologies such as electronic health records or wearable devices

3. Employee surveillance in the workplace or when working at home

4. E-commerce organizations and personalized prompts e.g. shoppers like you purchased.

5. IoT in the home

6. Social media; one specific platform