International privacy rights a primer - Essay Example

INTERNATIONAL PRIVACY RIGHTS - A PRIMER Globalisation implies removal of geographical limitations to the flow of data. Convergence of communications implies rapid transfer of data and exchange between different systems and data in multi media and other forms. This has placed a premium on ensuring privacy in the global workplace, which is an issue of legal and ethical concern. Proliferation of means of communication and business transactions, travel and movement across the World has led to availability of a large amount of personal data at the click of a mouse to any person having access to a computer or data system, such as an Automated Teller Machine or ATM.

As a worker in the international work place it is increasingly important to ensure that violation of the customer or consumer information does not take place either inadvertently and most certainly not deliberately. Since privacy laws in different countries are varied, there is a need to be sensitive to each country's privacy regulations so that confidentiality of the customer's information is protected. Citizens of developed states as the United States of America and countries of the European Union are particularly sensitive to privacy.

In any case, irrespective of the applicability of legal provisions, it is the duty of every employee of the establishment to ensure privacy of the information of the customer gained during professional interaction and ensure that it is in no way compromised. This is as much a moral and ethical issue as a legal one and is thus explicit company policy. Privacy is a cultural context and rights to privacy is defined in modern terms as valid claims made against unauthorized access where a subject has the right to authorize or deny access.

This right is based on autonomous choice and is required to be given as a form of informed consent. An individual has the right to control information about his person and behavior. Invasion of privacy implies access to information without consent. There is increased intent and capability of government's to access privacy information after terror attacks denoted by the momentous September 11, on World Trade Towers in New York City. Various legal provisions have been provided to law enforcement agencies to access public information through communications or surveillance of movement and other activities.

However these are selective and in no way enable their permissive use by other agencies. There is also a need to understand confidentiality, which is about information, as opposed to privacy which, is about individuals. There is increased data and information about individuals which is available in the public domain such as banking transactions, credit card transactions, electoral data and health related information. This has placed large information in the hands of a number of agencies and individuals who can exploit the same for commercial as well as pecuniary including criminal gains as the case may be.

Health information of individuals is also critical for it denotes the healthy status of persons, which can be exploited for various purposes as insurance claims. There is also considerable information to be gained from surveillance of communications. This is easily feasible in the modern technological environment where a large variety bugs, hidden microphones and cameras are available for audio and video recording of personal activities and public happenings. Surveillance of the Internet will also reveal considerable information.

While the same is not possible individually in an establishment, there is a need to be aware of the possibility and guard against the same. The mismanagement of data on the Internet will also cause loss of faith in the customer and result in losses to the company apart from violation of the moral and legal code. In the course of performance of your assignment, personal information on a large number of issues of clients will be available to you. This could be gleaned from the passports, travel identity documents, credit cards and so on and could include personal identification, bank and credit worthiness, financial risk, health information, genetic information, psychological well-being, sexual attitudes, preferences or practices, illegal risk behaviors, business and other proclivities.

It is necessary to ensure that this information is kept secure and safe from those who are not authorized to know it. Where you have obtained such information in the course of your duty, it should be used judiciously for the purpose for which it is sought. It is also necessary to ensure that personnel and agencies not authorized to do so obtain it. It is also prudent to inform customers of their right to privacy and the efforts being made by the company to protect it. Where any violation takes place it is essential to inform the management, who will take measures to ensure that further spread of violation is restricted and inform the customer.

Protection of customer privacy is thus company policy and all employees need to support it in letter and spirit. .