When we talk about data protection, privacy, security, what are we protecting? Securing? Keeping private?

Data.

Most data protection, privacy and security discussions, policies, and actions focus on the data, not the people or communities behind about whom the data is. They also are focused on protecting the organisations who are collecting, using, and holding the data. Security, privacy, protection and usability all exist on spectrum or one of those weird spider web graphs. 100% secure, means the data is not useable. And so on. And yet, these spectrums and graphs map the data security, protection and privacy. They don’t include human security, protection, and privacy. Data about people doesn’t exist in a vacuum because it’s about people. People and the data about them is intertwined. We forget this at our (and most their) peril.

What if the goal and the feedback loops about our policies and procedures focused on people? How would they change? What if they were people centred first?

Perhaps it’s time to find out.

The choice is up to us.

Photo by Franck