Legislation designed to guarantee data protection and privacy for citizens has grown substantially in recent years. At the same time, there is an increasing need for technological solutions to help law enforcement officers maintain border security. WCC has shown a long commitment to providing software solutions that foster a safer world while also protecting citizens’ privacy. In this, the first part of a two-part blog, we discuss the origins and development of privacy legislation. Such legislation is necessary for your protection, and your privacy must be respected when traveling, even during border crossings.

Safe travels for you and your data

Privacy protection is a fundamental right within societies that wish to be considered democratic. It is an essential component of the American Convention on Human Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. International treaties on the subject, in general, deal with the role of privacy concerning non-interference in private family life, correspondence, and communications.

The current technological culture of hyperconnectivity makes the private sphere more complex, even more fragile, and open to external threats. Therefore, today, many different countries have seen the need to further strengthen the protection of privacy and personal data. Furthermore, as more and more social and economic activities occur online, privacy and data protection are increasingly important.

As a result of the rapid rise in privacy concerns, collecting, using, and sharing personal information with third parties without the notice or consent of consumers represents a significant security problem.

Data privacy legislation around the world

Data privacy legislation is continuously being developed and improved around the world. Unsurprisingly, 128 out of 194 countries have already introduced legislation to secure the protection of personal data and privacy. Global analysis reveals that 66% of countries currently have data privacy legislation, 10% are preparing draft legislation, 19% have no legislation, and 5% provided no data.

When analyzing this framework in more detail, it is also possible to detect a socioeconomic gap. For example, 89% of developed countries have already adopted privacy and data protection laws, while 63% of developing countries have introduced such legislation. However, the adoption rate is just 43% within the least developed countries.

Even though there are data privacy laws in place, they offer different levels of protection and responsibility, and many countries still have a law enforcement gap.

EU legislation as a reference

The European Data Protection Regulation applies to all member states, effectively harmonizing data privacy laws across significant areas of Europe. Specifically, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Regulation (EU) protects natural persons regarding the processing of their personal data and the free movement of such data.

GDPR provides the protocols that govern how businesses and other organizations handle the information relating to the individuals with whom they interact.

GDPR is the most rigorous privacy and security legislation in the world; that’s why it serves as the primary reference for other countries when drafting their data privacy legislation. However, several countries have their own Independent data protection authority and regulations. Ensuring the EU recognizes their data protection standards requires transfer tools designed to meet EU standards.

Air travel legislation and privacy

Cross Border crime is one of the biggest challenges for law enforcement, so effectively managing passenger data is a high priority for government agencies; that’s why regulations for passenger information exchange are in place to better detect, investigate and prevent criminal activities. However, as the demands of privacy legislation increase, these same government agencies are obliged to meet the need to honor the privacy obligations imposed by data privacy legislation.

Aviation data privacy – part two

The second part of our blog will describe some key air travel regulations designed to keep passengers safe and borders secure. We’ll also introduce you to HERMES, WCC’s innovative solution for border security and passenger control. In addition, we explain how HERMES can protect borders from illegal transit and control the health of passengers while meeting the demands made by privacy legislation.

WCC is a leading provider of advanced ID/Security solutions for government agencies worldwide. WCC’s expertise and technology can help mitigate border security challenges and increase global health security. If you want more information, contact us to set up a call with our ID/Security experts.