DATA PROTECTION

Data Protection



Data Protection

Background

Privacy can be broadly defined as “right to be left alone" (Shank 1986). Although it is recognized as the basic right, it is not absolute, as it may be case within some other basic right according to Law. The duty to respect the persons' privacy allows exemptions; e.g. police or Government may have right to obtain personal information from citizens in order to ensure social order and harmony. The desire for privacy implies that it will be an issue if the person clearly expresses desire to exercise right. The question is how Marketing is related with right of privacy? How far can companies, which gather information about customers needs wants and demands (Marketing's basic principle) operate in an acceptable or else ethically accepted way?

Marketing and Privacy are connected with the link, which is called information. Information is as important for business and economic community, as industry was in previous years after First World War. In fact whole period is called "Information Age". On one hand, information is starting point of Marketing. Without Knowing in depth customers conscious and unconscious needs and wants, Marketing cannot be established as the company's operating philosophy. On other hand, people need their privacy to live free. Freedom is one of highest values of individuals. It looks like two opposite powers have risen, which brought many debatable issues and ethical dilemmas, which will test our level of civilization. One of those dilemmas is question whether privacy is more important in on-line rather than off-line world, and whether someone has different privacy protection needs on-line or off-line. Companies develop databases of customer information and practice customerized marketing, and same time new ways of fraud and theft are being developed in on-line world. Selected articles for this analysis

Social, Legal, And Ethical Issues For Computing And The Internet By Sara Baase

European Parliament approves law to replace TV Without Frontiers Directive

ECB should have stopped SWIFT breach, says EU privacy chief

Professional aspects

There are four types of personal information (Lester j. Pourciau, 2009).

·Private Communications

·Privacy of body

·Personal Information

·Possessions

Private Communications refer to the private conversation such as: The Ceo of the company discusses some private strategic issues with another Ceo and this conversation both want to remain confidential. If somebody records this conversation and sells it to media, he has violated privacy of communications right. A good example of private communications right and how companies that do Market research overcome this problem is that they ask their target group whether they agree discussion about the product for example or their opinion about the political party to be videotaped and not used as confidential.

A company may want to know private information of their potential customers about their medical condition. As an example an insurance company would reduce its risk if it could collect information about health condition of potential customer.

Amazon Company among most of companies today holds personal information of customer's addresses, credit card information and other sensitive details (mobile phone numbers ...