Current Events and Cyber Security
The selected article is titled ‘The New Rules of Data Privacy’ by Rahama and Petland (2022), delves into the use of personal data by corporations and small businesses (a link to the article is provided on the reference page). These businesses rely on consumer data to introduce or move their products in the market. The problem is that these businesses use the data without the owners’ permission, leading to massive negative public sentiment. Such consumer mistrust, coupled with government action and increasing competition, seems to be changing the trend of misuse of consumer data.
Topics Involved: Forces Driving Change in the Personal Data Industry
Consumer Awareness
One of the leading causes of the need to protect consumer data is the increasing awareness among consumers. Consumers are increasingly becoming aware that surveillance capitalism is taking place (Rahnama & Pentland, 2022). This involves the manipulation of personal data to make profits without their permission. As a result, some consumers are ceasing to use platforms that expose their data. For instance, the number of Facebook and Twitter users is dropping daily. These consumers suspect that these social media platforms sell their data. Also, more consumers now understand the dangers associated with exposing personal digital data.
Government Regulation
Governments are also increasingly intervening to regulate digital data markets. Legislators across the world have passed legislation to control the use of consumer data. For instance, in 2021, US legislators passed over 20 privacy bills designed to protect personal data rights and regulate digital data markets (Rahnama & Pentland, 2022). Besides, the EU has imposed regulations to curtail the use of AI. The big tech previously had a free hand with what they could do with users’ data but now have to overcome many regulations.
Device Manufacturers’ Competition
Market competition is also driving the regulation of consumer data usage. For instance, Apple is using data privacy as a market differentiator. In 2021, the company included a feature that allows iPhone users to prevent data harvesters from tracking their activity across different apps (Rahnama & Pentland, 2022). The regulation was effective owing to the losses recorded by social media sites. In the second half of 2021 alone, the social media sites lost $10 billion in revenue. Also, IT experts are increasingly developing apps that prevent data harvesters from accessing protected data and selling them to mobile users. As more device manufacturers follow Apple’s lead, privacy will likely become a priority.
The Link between the Development of e-business and the Internet
The growth of e-business is directly linked to the expansion of internet usage. The internet is the most basic infrastructure without which e-Business cannot take place. The Internet facilitates communications technology, enabling the seller and the buyer to transact (Hsu, 2011). For instance, a seller uses internet-enabled platforms to market products to the final consumer. Marketing involves introducing a new product, communicating product futures, and product changes. Sharing such information facilitates the consumer to make rational choices besides helping sellers make more sales. The Internet also plays a significant role in business automation. Automation helps e-Businesses to streamline tasks to save time and money (Hsu, 2011). For instance, using special software coupled with fast internet speeds enables a buyer to make payments without dealing directly with the accounting department.
Conclusion
Corporations and big tech no longer have a free hand with what they can do with consumer data. The increasing consumer awareness and mistrust are driving them away from data harvesting sites. Other contributors include legislative action in different jurisdictions across the world and market competitions that prioritize data privacy.
References
Hsu, L. F. (2011). Internet marketing based on Electronic Commerce. In 2011 IEEE International Conference on Computer Science and Automation Engineering (Vol. 2, pp. 734-737). IEEE.
Rahnama, H., & Pentland, A. “Sandy. (2022). The New Rules of Data Privacy. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2022/02/the-new-rules-of-data-privacy.
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Question 
Prompt:
Find and discuss a case or article of a current event involving cybersecurity. What other topics does it involve, such as consumer privacy or data security?
Current Events and Cyber Security
Explain how the rapid development of e-business is linked to that of the Internet. Use examples to illustrate.