Data Privacy In 5G Technologies

5G is a rather recent topical issue which remains on the agenda for a long while with all the questions it leads to. This new development is being described as “internet of everything” and aims to create a brand new and shared ecosystem for all internet-based devices (Sorensen, Khajuria and Skouby, 2015). With this reforming technology it is being expected to get beyond the existing limits and widen the usage area by including in different vertical sectors (Liyanage Et al., A Comprehensive Guide to 5G Security, 2018).

Another anticipation brought by this high-speed promising technology is the accessibility to get significantly easier. By this means the data circulation will become much more extensive. The diversification of the e-enabled sectors will also be one of the goals set during this period of change. Through this technology, it is projected to form a digital atmosphere which, comprises user’s entire life from health to automotive. In accordance with this purpose, fragmented virtual infrastructure which, provides a customized network based on the characteristics of the service will be constituted Liyanage Et al., 5G Privacy: Scenarios and Solutions, 2018).

Despite all these promising technical facilities and developments, 5G also carries particular potential dangers with it. One of these possible dangers is the violation of data security. The user who is meeting a brand-new technology with very high speed and extensive usage area that he/she has never experienced will need to get involved in a great data traffic. Users will have to make a critical decision between their privacy and chance to benefit from new improvements. The extent of the user’s approval for their data to be used is now failing to satisfy. Data usage no longer stays within approval’s borders and enters into an immense data sharing between numerous devices (Liyanage Et al., A Comprehensive Guide to 5G Security, 2018). Even though these consequences of privacy violations are only probabilities for now, effective precautions must be taken without loss of time. What matters here is to understand the vision of 5G technology for data value. The system must be built on a balance set between the benefits provided to user and the value of data used to provide these benefits (Khajuria & Skouby, 2017). Data minimization in this context is one of the cautions that can be taken. By this means a sensible connection between the service and the data will be required and sharing irrelevant information will be prevented. Besides it is also possible to increase the data protection via anonymity and end-to-end encryption. Other than all these precautions against possible privacy violations, there must be legal sanctions regulated for cases where these possibilities become facts (Liyanage Et al., 5G Privacy: Scenarios and Solutions, 2018).

Non-standardized structure of the system necessitates the possibilities to be analyzed from different perspectives. Above referred data security have importance not only for the user but also for the governance. But the main concern of governance here is the overprotection of data. Main concerns about the new system are mentioned via a current report published by European Union. According to the report, necessities to enforce law are in conflict with cyber security precautions. It is stated that actions such as, end-to-end encryptions, identity authentication or fragmented network structure are on one hand serving to tighten the data security while on the other hand causing governments to lose control over these data and preventing legal actions like interceptions. Decentralized cloud method, which makes the data sharing without a center available is also one of the aspects getting reaction on account of the fact that it will block the judicial interference. Having regard to these relatively required judicial interferences, there are also some methods regulated in this European Union Report. Producing an effect by getting involved to the standardization process and directly getting in contact with the operators can be given as examples to these methods. Other than these there are also advisory ways like telling member countries to regulate their national laws in accordance with these possible consequences (Council of the European Union, 2019).

It is a considerable source of concern that data confidentiality and privacy which are very important issues lead to such an opposite result when commentated from different perspectives. Government’s complain about the over protection of data is a debatable topic when considering their obligation to protect these data. Taking into account all these hypothetical risks and conflicts, the future vision of 5G for the value of data arouses a great curiosity.

References

Council of the European Union. (2019). Law Enforcement and Judicial Aspects Related to 5G, Brussels.
Liyanage, M., Ahmad, I., Abro, A. B., Gurtov, A., & Ylianttila, M. (Eds.). (2018). A Comprehensive Guide to 5G Security. John Wiley & Sons.
Khajuria, S., & Skouby, K. E. (2017). Privacy and Economics in a 5G Environment. Wireless Personal Communications, 95(1), s. 145-154.
Liyanage, M., Salo, J., Braeken, A., Kumar, T., Seneviratne, S., & Ylianttila, M. (2018). 5G Privacy: Scenarios and Solutions. 2018 5G World Forum (5GWF), s. 197-203.