Data sharing is safe - as long as you are in charge of your data

IN TODAY'S world, personal data is closely guarded as many struggle with balancing the benefits of technology with fears of an invasion of privacy.

The current Covid-19 situation, with the adoption of contact tracing apps, has turned this into a more urgent dilemma. The apps help to track those who have been in proximity to someone who is later diagnosed with the virus.

Singapore was one of the first to put out its TraceTogether smartphone app and since then, countries from Australia to South Korea have released their own iterations of contact-tracing technology. Apple and Google, too, recently launched a software which will form the basis of a contact tracing platform.

Yet, despite the high number of tech-savvy individuals around the world, privacy fears surrounding data sharing have largely prevented downloads en masse. In Singapore, the TraceTogether app has been downloaded by only 1.1 million people, or less than one-fifth of the population. According to media reports, privacy concerns were one of the reasons cited by the public as to why they had not downloaded the app.

This comes as no surprise. But to me, sharing data in the future will probably be akin to a handshake, or handing out a name card, today.

Bridging the gap between now and that future will be a greater understanding of data itself, and a better understanding of the benefits that data sharing can bring.

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By and large, consumers engage in data trade-offs all the time. For example, there are still prevalent worries that cookies (which are downloaded to your device when you visit a website) are intrusive. But, eager to get to a website, people often click the "accept" button to cookie requests, even if they have initial concerns.

Cookies do have a big benefit - by tracking your search queries and purchases (and even your device and location), they make customised advertising possible. That, to me, is a win for the consumer.

Telcos also use anonymised data tracking to understand how people travel - when and where they walk, and where they board buses and trains. This understanding of commuting patterns can help shape and optimise a country's transportation system, thereby benefitting the masses.

Banks, too, use data to track their spending and provide them with insight on how they can grow their wealth through investments. They also generally use personal data to prevent fraud. Through the use of analytics, banks track your transaction patterns. They can thus more efficiently identify abnormal transactions and work quickly to resolve issues.

As the world moves towards a more open future when it comes to data, it is important that organisations and governments continually work to implement and enforce strict guard rails that protect the individual.

In Singapore, the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) is a protection law that comprises various rules governing the collection, use, disclosure and care of personal data. That covers an individual's name, position or title, telephone number, address, e-mail address and more. These are protected till 10 years after a person's death. The government is further looking to refine the PDPA, with potentially higher fines for organisations with data breaches.

The European Union also has strict laws that protect data privacy under its General Data Protection Regulation, which came into force in 2018. Peru, Uruguay, Costa Rica and Mexico subsequently put their own data privacy laws in place, so they could be compliant and be able to trade with European countries.

Yet given this landscape, contact tracing apps still fall prey to suspicion as there is uncertainty around what governments are doing with data. But in any data-sharing scenario, I suggest that consumers check for the following conditions before agreeing to share data openly.

First, trust in who is storing the data is essential. Typically, big-name institutions, organisations and merchants will meet the standard. They, more than most, are forced to adhere to strict guidelines on how they collect your data. In particular, governments which seek to introduce more tech-enabled services for the public good will be responsibly clear about data management.

LOOK FOR TRANSPARENCY

Second, look for transparency on what data is collected, how it is stored and what it is used for. To use TraceTogether as an example, any data collected is anonymised. The app also stores personal data for just 21 days on a rolling basis, after which it is deleted. This is made clear in documents found on its website. In any instance where you are being asked to share data, one should look carefully through privacy policies provided.

Thirdly, one should also not agree to sharing data unless there is an upfront option to allow for "opt out" - ie you can withdraw consent and have your data erased when you choose to. For instance, at the end of marketing e-mails, you should always be given a choice to opt out and unsubscribe from mailing lists.

These are the practices I follow when I am looking at any website or app. However, in order to share my own personal data, I must be convinced of the benefits that doing so will bring. Critically, for a company to get more information about you, it must be up to you to give your permission. You, and no one else, should be in charge.

I expect that in coming years, there will be a greater sense of digital empowerment as people come to understand data better. For now, I will be keeping my TraceTogether app on at all times. And I am all for using SafeEntry when I visit supermarkets on the weekends.

The thing that makes using these apps comfortable for me is understanding the data that they mine, alongside the benefits that they bring. And as long as they work in my favour, I will continue to do so.

What we do know is that data will continue to shape our world and how we live. In the post-Covid world, governments are likely to want to continue to track movements. How we choose to deal with these initiatives and whether we choose to share our data will determine their success.