Who Owns Our Personal Data in the Digital Era?
Every time we open social media, order food online, shop at a marketplace, or simply search for information via a search engine, we leave behind a digital footprint. This footprint is not just a record of activity, but a collection of personal data that reflects who we are, what we like, where we go, and even our lifestyle patterns. Unknowingly, data has become one of the most valuable assets in the digital era.
Ironically, many people do not yet realise that personal data has a very high economic value. Most internet users consider data such as names, email addresses, phone numbers, locations, and search histories to be ordinary information. In fact, for technology companies, this data is the primary ‘fuel’ for developing services, formulating marketing strategies, and creating more personalised digital experiences.
The question that then arises is, who actually owns our personal data? Does it remain the property of the individual who generated it, or does it become the property of the company once we click the ‘I Agree’ button on lengthy and rarely read terms and conditions?
Fundamentally, personal data is the right of every individual. However, in practice, users often grant consent to service providers to collect and process their data. This consent is indeed necessary for digital services to function properly. The problem is that many users give this consent without understanding the scope of the data usage. As a result, the relationship between the user and the service provider becomes unbalanced, with companies holding far more control over the information than the data owners themselves.
This phenomenon has given rise to what is often called the data economy. In this system, data becomes a commodity with enormous business value. Information about shopping habits, interests, locations, and online activities can be used to display more relevant advertisements, predict consumer behaviour, and even help companies make business decisions. The more complete the data held, the greater its economic value.
On one hand, the utilisation of data provides many benefits. Digital services become faster, more personal, and better suited to user needs. Recommendations for films, music, shopping products, and travel navigation are examples of how data is used to enhance the user experience.
On the other hand, the large-scale use of data also presents various problems. One of these is the threat of data breaches. In recent years, various data breach cases have shown that personal information can fall into the hands of irresponsible parties. Leaked data can be exploited for fraud, identity theft, account takeover, and various other forms of cybercrime.
Even more worrying is that many users only realise the importance of personal data after suffering a loss. In reality, prevention is far better than handling an incident after it occurs. Public awareness of the importance of safeguarding personal data must be continuously improved through ongoing digital literacy education.
In Indonesia, the protection of personal data has gained a stronger legal foundation through Law Number 27 of 2022 concerning Personal Data Protection. The presence of this regulation is an important step in providing legal certainty for the public while encouraging electronic system operators to be more responsible in managing user data. However, the success of data protection depends not only on the existence of rules but also on consistent law enforcement and compliance from all parties that process data.
Beyond the government and digital service providers, the public also has a responsibility to maintain the security of their own data. Using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, regularly updating applications, limiting app access permissions, and not carelessly sharing personal information are simple steps that can reduce the risk of data misuse.
It is equally important to build the habit of reading, or at least understanding, the main points of privacy policies before using a digital service. Admittedly, these documents are often long and filled with difficult legal terminology. However, the more people care about their data rights, the greater the push for companies to present policies that are more transparent and easier to understand.
Ultimately, the question ‘Who owns our personal data in the digital era?’ should have a clear answer. The owner of the data is the individual who generated it. Companies, digital platforms, and service providers are merely parties granted permission to manage the data according to agreed purposes. Ownership should not transfer simply because someone uses an application.
The digital era indeed offers unprecedented convenience, speed, and innovation. However, technological progress must not sacrifice the fundamental right of every individual to privacy. Personal data is not just a collection of numbers and information; it is part of a person’s identity that must be respected and protected. Therefore, building a culture of data protection is a shared responsibility—the government as the regulator, companies as data managers, and the public as the rightful owners of their personal information. Only with this balance can trust in the digital ecosystem be maintained.