Resources
- Identity Use Cases & Scenarios.
- FIDIS Deliverables.
- IDIS Journal.
- FIDIS Interactive.
- Press & Events.
- In-House Journal.
- Booklets
- Identity in a Networked World.
- Identity R/Evolution.
D11.1: Collection of Topics and Clusters of Mobility and Identity – Towards a Taxonomy of Mobility and Identity
Conclusion
This chapter attempted an overview of the European regulatory framework regarding the protection of privacy of the individual, in an era where his life is conditioned by the exponential use of mobile technologies. Indeed, in the dawning information society, the safeguarding of the privacy rights of the individuals becomes of seminal importance. The citizen faces several issues closely related to mobility on a daily basis, as he is confronted with questions regarding his identity and his physical location.
In a mobile world the identity of the user is questioned and issues arise with regard to the digital projection and manipulation of his identity. Furthermore, in such systems a variety of geospatial information is being processed, for various purposes such as for the provision of location based services and thus creating a perpetual feeling of being localised. Finally the physical location of the user is under question. His actual localisation is not always feasible, as digital mobility allows him to perform actions in several locations (e.g. mobile working).
The impact that the protected private sphere of the individual and his right of informational self-determination will have in answering the aforementioned questions is under constant evaluation by law and policy makers, lawyers and commercial entrepreneurs alike. Should the emergence of new technologies act as an instigator of legislative changes vis-à-vis the traditional and well-established notion of privacy? Or should the current legislative framework on privacy and data protection act as a barrier to the implementation of technological architectures which, according to the established doctrine regarding privacy, may pose threats to the private sphere of the individual? The fear of a dystopic Orwellian society advocates towards a firm implementation of data protection principles and the adoption of technologies that respect the privacy of the individuals, be it informational, spatial, or even virtual.
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