How will right to be forgotten affect our life?

By Choi Kwang-hun

Choi Kwang-hun

Whether it is pleasant or poignant, everyone has a past to be left behind. However, the Internet never forgets anything. Even if we attempt to delete an item of online information, it may have been infinitely copied and shared, making it impossible to track. The issue of the right to be forgotten exists because these properties of digital information go against the human nature of wanting a fresh start, free from the shackles of the past.

The right to be forgotten is the right to request the deletion of past information about oneself that continues to remain online despite being untrue or currently irrelevant. In terms of privacy protection, this is a step forward in strengthening self-determination, as it is a fact that we have had no control over the data created by or concerning ourselves so far. On the other hand of this positive aspect, there is the concern of censorship with regards to the right to know and information disclosure. Internet companies may edit parts of the data when responding to erasure requests, which could make information more susceptible to manipulation, and increase the risk of infringing on the right of the public to know. In spite of the controversy between these opposing views, the debate itself paradoxically implies a strengthening preference for privacy protection.

Then, how does this tendency affect our Internet use and the economy? We surf the Internet, shop and comment on websites. Various companies compile and analyze this information to understand market trends and consumer behavior, utilizing this knowledge for customized marketing, product strategy and new market development. This process leads to cost reduction and sales increase for various industries, and personal information contributes to economic growth and employment through the overall improvement of efficiency as a result.

However, the right to be forgotten and accompanying higher level of privacy protection is likely to deter the collection of personal information, which is the starting point of the chain reaction mentioned above. It will dampen information-related areas such as Big Data, and indirectly undermine the positive effects of personal information on industries. However, privacy protection does not just have a negative effect on the economy. The subsequent enhancement of Internet credibility could invigorate the information economy. We know that the recent frequent privacy thefts and violation cases have made many users squeamish about providing personal information. In addition, the right to be forgotten may also accelerate the development of new service and industries. Social networking sites have begun to provide an expiring messages service that destroys texts or photos after a pre-specified period of time, and so called digital laundering companies are already expunging online traces in business.

The right to be forgotten has a wide-ranging impact on the fundamental human right of wanting to be free from the past, as well as privacy protection, the people’s right to know, the value of records, freedom of information, various industries and our economy. Before a public consensus on the issue can be reached, it is crucial to balance out diverse opinions surrounding this policy.

The writer is an economist at KIET (Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade).