Privacy 3.0

In this pioneering work, technology lawyer Rahul Matthan traces the changing notions of privacy from the earliest times to its evolution through landmark cases in the UK, US and India. In the process, he re-imagines the way we should be thinking about privacy today if we are to take full advantage of modern data technologies, cautioning against getting so obsessed with their potential harms that we design our laws to prevent us from benefiting from them at all. He says that our personal space is dear to us all. We live our lives in full public view on social media - posting photos of the food we just ate or even expressing intimate feelings for our loved ones - but there are still things we would rather not share with the world. Indeed, it is privacy that sets man apart from the animals who must stick together in the wild for their own safety. But mankind was not born private. Privacy evolved over time as man developed technologies to wall himself off, even as he remained part of the society at large. But just as some technologies enhanced privacy, others - such as the printing press or the portable camera - chipped away at it. Every time this happened, man opposed the technology at first but made his peace with it eventually to benefit from the obvious good it could do. We are at a similar crossroads today with data technologies. Aadhaar is one example of the many ways in which we have begun to use data in everything we do. While it has made it far easier to avail of services from the government and private enterprises than ever before, there are those who rightly worry about people’s private data being put to ill use - and, worse, without consent. But this anxiety is no different from that which we felt during the teething troubles of every previous technology we adopted. What we really need is a new framework that unlocks the full potential of a data-driven future while still safeguarding what we hold most dear - our privacy.

About the author

Rahul Matthan is a Partner in Trilegal’s Bengaluru office and heads the TMT practice of the firm. He has extensive experience advising on high-value TMT transactions in the country. He has worked with companies across sectors, from telecom majors to internet and data service providers, offering advice on regulatory matters and operational issues. Rahul’s expertise spans several sectors in the technology space, including data protection, digital finance, cryptocurrencies, e-commerce, telecom, new media, platform technologies, technology acquisitions and biotech.

Scope of discussion and reviews for participants to read

Rahul Matthan’s book, “Privacy 3.0,” is important because it provides a good starting point for anyone who wants to understand the overlapping domain of Privacy and Technology. We observe around us how technology and innovation can be pervasive now. For anyone in the field of technology, thinking and optimizing algorithms towards a goal turns essential, to have a broader interdisciplinary understanding towards build meaningful solutions. Privacy is an important element in the equation and this book navigates the evolution of our understanding of Privacy. It also drives the idea of having a balanced viewpoint about the topic through various frames and frameworks.

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About the speaker

Vijayalakshmi Iyer is the esteemed Director of Engineering - AI at GEP Worldwide, with nearly two decades of expertise in the field. With a dynamic career trajectory encompassing roles as a professor, architect, manager, general manager, and now director, Vijayalakshmi has honed her skills at renowned organizations including Wipro, Accenture, UST, and WNS.

RSVP and venue

This is an in-person session in Bangalore. Virtual access will be provided exclusively for The Fifth Elephant members. RSVP to participate.

About the AI and Ethics Book Club

This is a call for book suggestions to discuss under the AI and Ethics Book Club. The AI and Ethics Book Club is a monthly in-person discussion where a book is selected and discussed each month. The Book Club is open to practitioners from different disciplines, including AI, security, Machine Learning, law, legal-tech, health, health-tech, public policy, history, finance, and others.

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