With the development of modern technologies all over the world, numerous challenges for governments and their citizens appear. One of the most widespread problems is the lack of a balance between the privacy of personal data and national security. The government struggles to provide protection for its citizens and curb terrorism, but its efforts might result in a higher risk of improper personal data usage and identity theft.
The most important task for the government is to decrease tensions between privacy and national security concerns. There is a need for a special tool proving that personal data of citizens are secured and can be used strictly in the case of court approval or with their permission. People will be more content if they can safely manage their data without the risk of electronic fraud.
The governmental programs aimed at combating terrorism should include some measures to increase the population confidence in the government’s impartiality and the absence of the abuse of power from the state. People need to be sure that their data are used only in case of court proceedings, but not, for example, for selling them to advertisers. In my opinion, the best way to avoid the conflict of governmental and personal needs in the sphere of data privacy is to conduct regular polls among citizens. They will allow the government to see if there is an increase in public dissatisfaction and whether the situation is stable.
As data privacy is one of the essential challenges for the government and its citizens, there should be a legal mechanism to monitor this issue. However, the Constitution of the United States relies solely on the Amendments and separate federal and state laws. There is no general data protection act to rule on the question of data privacy and state security. The provision of fundamental rights and freedoms is not enough for personal data safety. Therefore, the next vital step is to draft legislation as, with the rapid development of modern technologies, there is a need for new mechanisms to protect data.
In the age of technology, all the possible spheres of human life are somehow connected to the computer data. All the companies and financial institutions process vast amounts of personal data every day. The more technology develops, the more effort people need to put into their safety. However, it is impossible to expect that all the personal data are going to be private. The government may require them for security reasons any time. I believe that no law can grant absolute privacy of personal data in the changing world, but some conditions should exist under which the data are available. Financial and medical data of citizens are to be safe, except in cases of court proceedings.
The balance between data privacy and state security remains one of the biggest problems of present-day society. The government needs to create a system to respect the rights of its citizens and, at the same time, provide the necessary level of security for them. The essential steps are the creation of a single data protection act and taking measures to guarantee the balance between state and personal interests. This way, the government will be able to cope with the needs of the rapidly changing world and make its citizens comfortable with decisions related to personal data usage.