Big Data: An Opportunity Combined With Privacy Concerns. A Regulatory Perspective
Big Data: An Opportunity Combined With Privacy Concerns. A Regulatory Perspective
by George Salama, SAMENA Telecommunications Council, Dubai
“Big Data” is a new term that is currently trending within the ICT industry and which is coming into sharper focus, especially due to privacy and security concerns. With the incredible growth of data produced/consumed by Internet users through the different types of social networks and mobile apps, the need for a strong but flexible legal and regulatory framework is increasing and also becoming mandatory. Such regulatory measures should be developed in a smart manner that on the one hand gives incentives to Internet players and telecom operators to explore new revenue streams lying behind Big Data, and at the same time grants the basic Internet user a secure, private cyber space.
The first aspect of Big Data regulations, which should be taken into account while formulating a Big Data policy framework, is not to hinder investments by giving operators and Internet service providers the ability to easily explore and tap into new revenue streams, such as the ones resulting from Big Data. In the Arab region, operators are under pressure resulting from strong regulatory interventions, such as high licensing fees, new spectrum costs, hidden taxes, and royalty fees. This massive pressure in terms of CAPEX is accompanied at the same time by strict regulatory obligations to provide high quality services at affordable rates. International roaming flat rates regulations are a clear example that illustrates the extent to which telecom operators are facing political and regulatory pressures, which is negatively affecting their revenue growth. Therefore, the Big Data concept, which is described in the article as “new oil”, should be regulated while bearing it in mind as a new revenue generation opportunity for telecom operators and service providers. If Big Data is the “new oil”, then broadband, which is provided by operators, is the vehicle through which this new oil is consumed. For operators to be able to provide such super speed reliable broadband, the question of their sustainability should be placed first. The role of governments and regulators is crucial in formulating and putting in place a clear set of industry friendly policies; such policies are crucial in identifying the methodology and level of data utilization, data quality, access, and preservation. Secondly, and most importantly, is the question of privacy, security, and data protection when it comes to Big Data regulations. The point raised in the article that social networks’ privacy settings are switched off by default reflects a key concern that needs to be revisited when setting policies and regulations for Web 2.0 services. Privacy settings should be developed and displayed in a very simple way that enables the basic user to adjust his privacy and security preferences in a straightforward manner. Also, the traditional way of displaying the terms and conditions of any new Internet service subscription is another concern that requires simplification and redesign, so instead of having long pages full of text in a tiny font, make a video tutorial available in different languages, for example. Another interesting example is the management of the user’s online assets, personal data, email accounts, and social media profiles after death. Google has recently introduced tools that apply to all Google-run accounts, including Gmail, Google+, YouTube, Picasa and others. Users have the option to delete data after a certain period of time or pass their data on to specified people. No one can deny that privacy is a cornerstone for setting up any Big Data policy framework, but it is also important not to let such concerns hinder innovation. The opportunity resulting from data mining and analysis across different sectors is creating a deep positive impact in the overall national economy. Government has an important role to play in encouraging Big Data use in fields including health care, education, road safety, weather forecasting, financial reporting, mapping, and macroeconomic forecasting. Collected once and used many times is the most efficient methodology in the adoption of the Big Data concept. This saves time, processing power, and cost; therefore, government and the private sector are to be in alignment and synchronization when it comes to sharing data and information, while maintaining a certain level of privacy and transparency. At the same time, there should be a clear distinction between data collected and processed by government agencies or private sector entities on a national level and those collected as a result of the international bulk of data transfer. It is very well said in the article that: “It is unacceptable that governments and intelligence agencies are abusing the increasing international data transfer for bulk access to the transmitted data”. The question of “trust” when using a new Internet service is under major threat and for this trust to be rebuilt, both technical and policy solutions need to be implemented. Data encryption, secure routing, and IPv.6 adoption are being considered amongst the technical solutions. International agreements, regional cooperation, dispute resolution mechanisms, and commercial settlement processes are examples of public policy considerations.
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