International Conventions around right to privacy

Right to privacy is the most cherished right in any civilized society. Owing to technological revolution, the concern for privacy has become greater than at any time in recent history. The speed with which information today is produced, collected and analyzed, has redefined the “definition of personal data”. For instance, the personal information of user can be easily generated by tracking his movement on various internet platforms like social media, online transactions, browsing history etc. This has further raised the dilemmas of what constitute the private and personal information.

International Conventions around right to privacy

Two international conventions are of particular importance in terms of privacy rights. These include Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948

The article 12 of UDHR provides that – “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, or to attacks upon his honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.”

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Article 17 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (to which India is a party) states “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his privacy, family, home and correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his honor and reputation”.

India and international conventions

India has ratified both the above conventions – which means State has to enact laws to ensure that citizens are protected from unwarranted intrusion into their privacy.