Digital Privacy and The Right to Be Forgotten: Managing Public Access and Individual Rights in The Modern Internet Era

Abstract

The advent of the digital age has ushered in unprecedented access to information, revolutionising communication, and knowledge sharing. However, this same technology has also raised profound concerns about individual privacy and the right to control personal data. At the heart of this complex issue lies the concept of the “Right to be forgotten”. The “right to forget” refers to the already intensively reflected situation that a historical event should no longer be revitalized due to the length of time elapsed since its occurrence; the “right to be forgotten” reflects the claim of an individual to have certain data deleted so that third persons can no longer trace them. This paper examines the Right to be Forgotten within the broader context of digital privacy, focusing on the challenge of balancing individual privacy rights with public access to information with a detailed review on the legal frameworks governing Right to be Forgotten, including the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and explores the practical implications of these regulations and other global data protection laws, assessing their impact on privacy and transparency. Through case studies and comparative analysis, the paper examines the practical implications of Right to be Forgotten, its effectiveness in different jurisdictions, and the challenges associated with implementing privacy protections in a globalized digital landscape.