‘Right to be forgotten’ matters in Internet Age
Increasing privacy infringement on the Internet has set off a campaign to uphold the “right to be forgotten,†which allows users to demand information about them be deleted by social networking websites. Si-Soo Park provides an Asian angle on the matter in the Korea Times, particularly looking at how upcoming EU regulation could have an impact on Korean legislative thinking as well.
“Many celebrities here [i.e. in South Korea] are haunted by articles and photos they posted on social networking websites such as Twitter and Facebook.
Some carelessly-written comments during wayward teenage years are reproduced and stir controversy, causing irrevocable damage to their hard-won reputations. Old photos unintentionally divulge their untold story of having perfect looks thanks to surgical help.
An increasing number of ordinary people have also been badly affected by the endless lifespan of online data.
But existing regulations give website operators the exclusive right to delete or modify reproduced content, leaving their customers helpless when it comes to self-control of their own privacy online.
This shortcoming has galvanized people to recognize the significance of the “right to be forgotten†in the Internet age. Promotional campaigns for the unheard-of rights are increasingly gaining momentum worldwide.”
