Author: Fred Cate
Publisher: TEDx Talks
Publication Year: 2020
Summary: The following video features a talk from a TED conference based around entropy, and this speaker spoke about how data ethics is an area of entropy currently. This is because there is low legislation surrounding the topic in how data is collected and used. He begins by discussing the use of consent within data collection and use of the data after collection. Privacy is based around the individual’s control of information concerning his or her person. He outlines 7 reasons why it is counterintuitive to focus so much on consent and how this is affecting the poor state of privacy law currently. The first reason is that the terms and conditions pages are normally very long, and there is not enough time to read everything that goes into these documents for full understanding. The second is that there is some data that is intuitive with a notice NOT to do something, but with no legal backing to actually not do it (such as recording the TED talk he is giving). The third is that most people just ignore consent because they do not go through the steps to make sure they understand their privacy positions. Fourth is that the consent we are supposedly giving is illusory, meaning we have no choice but to except certain conditions in order to use necessary technology (think updating an iphone). Fifth, theres a burden of indviduals to carry all of the consent opportunities because they are everywhere. It also can shift the blame from the data processor to you in some cases, and therefore it is not helpful to the user, but a burden. Sixth is we override the consent in knowing that there is anonymous data that can be used, but conesnt was never actually given for the use of that data. Seventh, it leads to really poor privacy protection because there is so much wrapped into content that an average user will not understand.