Borderless Nature of Data Economy Creates Blind Spots for Data Privacy Laws

Data protection laws give individuals the power to manage their personal data. Yet, determining where personal data is processed and preventing its misuse is practically impossible.

Laws enacting data protection rights, like those in the European Union and California, require companies to communicate how they collect and utilize personal data and provide avenues for individuals to control that data. However, the reach of these laws is limited.

Because of the variations in these laws, individuals may not have the same protections even if their situation is similar. For instance, an individual may have the right to have his personal data deleted, while another company may keep that data to fulfill their legal, security or business interests. Even if an individual exercises his right to have his data deleted, that data may remain with another company that is an business partner of the deleting company.

Users rarely have a choice of the data services they use and often must utilize a particular service. Companies often utilize other companies to perform business functions and services and may give or sell users’ data to those companies. Users may not understand all the consequences of agreeing to a company’s terms and conditions. Users may not be able to completely eliminate the risks to their privacy, even if the company deletes data or discontinues a product.

Company laws and policies guide the actions of the employees of that company. Employees of other companies that are not bound by the same laws may process an individual’s data in a manner that puts the individual’s privacy at risk. Notifying individuals of data misuses may allow individuals to take control of their data. Enforcing this may, however, prove challenging, as companies may change or adapt their businesses quickly.

New technologies require new legal responses. AI may be able to uncover sensitive information from seemingly harmless data sets. Data brokers may merge data sets to create a comprehensive profile on an individual. Moreover, there may be exemptions to privacy laws that protect the confidentiality of data, particularly with respect to government agencies. Additionally, there may be other, unrelated laws, that regulate the same data.

There are numerous provisions of privacy laws that offer individuals the ability to access, rectify, and/or limit the collection and/or use of their data. While these rights may be enforceable, individuals may be unable to control how their data is collected and/or used. The reality is that many technologies are designed to collect as much information as possible.

The recognition of these issues is reflected in a recent shift in the privacy debate. There is increasing support for greater restrictions on the collection of information and required justifications for the use of data, especially by the organizations that collect and/or process the data.

Until data privacy laws become more stringent, existing laws will assist individuals in protecting their information. There are, however, natural limits to the protection of information, especially as information becomes easier to create, transmit, and/or process.

How to Self- Publish a Picture Book

Publishing a self-illustrated picture book requires more than putting your images with your text. You first have to create a book that is both interesting and accessible to its readers. Once that is accomplished, consider your options for book publication.

Read a variety of books written for the audience you want to reach and listen to how the words flow. Once you are able to incorporate flow, think about how you are going to layout your book. The best way to plan your layout is to make a book dummy which will allow you to identify issues with your book pacing.

Consistency is important for a successful picture book, especially for characters. Traditionally drawn illustrations should be scanned or photographed and electronically sent to a publisher. Digital illustrations should also be emailed. If you are including text on a page, don’t place your focal point or key details there.

The route you take to get your book published will depend on the time and money you are willing to spend. You can send samples of your work to publishers and agents or self-publish your work. Self-publication will require you to pay for the design and printing of your book, but you will maintain more control.

You control the process when you publish your own book. However, you take on the responsibility of publishing and selling the book. Review printers and print on demand (POD) services by looking at samples of the services' output. Look at the paper and color quality, binding, and think about your cost to sell (this determines your selling price).

Get your book published. Editing is important even if you feel like you have edited your book enough. Text and other information can move to other places on the page during the publishing process. Decide what publishing route you want to take, determine a title and write a description of your book, and think about the type of publishing you want (for example do you want to get your own ISBN).

Figure out how to get your book to your audience. Think about your budget when determining how many books you want to print and sell. You want to set up a website that contains some of your work and sell your book. Determine who your audience is and reach out to the schools and libraries in that area to arrange to do activities for the kids, for example a book reading. Make sure you keep records of everything and stay organized.