Two-Thirds of UK Web Users Regard Right to Be Forgotten As Human Right
Human rights are a touchy subject in the UK but according to new findings from a study conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of TRUSTe, 64% of British internet users agree that a digital 'Right to be Forgotten' should indeed be a human right.
The 'Right to Be Forgotten' ruling in May 2014 allows EU citizens to request that search engines remove links to personal information where the information is inaccurate, inadequate, irrelevant or excessive. Since the ruling, many have debated whether individuals should have the ability to edit their online identities to protect their personal privacy, specifically if the information is believed to be irrelevant.
The TRUSTe/Ipsos survey was based on a sample of 1,000 adults aged 16-75 questioned between 28 November and 5 December 2014. And despite the clear majority in favor of the ruling, and 68% agreeing it helps individuals enhance the protection of their personal data, it also found that 44% of UK web users believe that it allows for censorship. In addition nearly a quarter think the 'right to be forgotten' is not practical.
"Even though Europeans are known for placing a great deal of value on their privacy, our research shows that British internet users are actually more skeptical about the 'Right to be Forgotten' than Americans, with 44% agreeing that it allows for censorship compared with 29% of Americans," said Chris Babel, CEO, TRUSTe. "The 'Right to be Forgotten' ruling gives EU citizens greater control of their online identities. Perhaps most significantly though, the ruling presents challenges for internet publishers and search engines that have the difficult job of allocating significant resources to support the large number of incoming requests."