Privaatsuste

Privaatsuste is an Estonian term used to refer to privacy concerns or issues related to personal information. In policy and law, it denotes the protection of individuals’ autonomy over data, communications, and digital traces. The phrase is commonly encountered in discussions of how data is collected, stored, shared, and used by organizations and governments. The concept covers informational privacy, data privacy, location privacy, and biometric data, as well as the right to be free from unnecessary surveillance.

Privacy concerns arise from online services, social media, smart devices, and interconnected systems that collect data through accounts, cookies, location tracking, or behavioral profiling. Risks include unauthorized data access, data breaches, misuse of sensitive information, and targeted advertising that individuals did not intend to permit. Responsible handling and transparent practices are central to addressing privaatsuste.

In the European Union, privacy is governed by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Estonia implements GDPR through national law and the Personal Data Protection Act, with enforcement carried out by Andmekaitse Inspektsioon (Estonia’s data protection authority). Privacy-focused design, or privacy by design, and data minimization are widely advocated as preventive measures. Individuals can exercise rights such as access, correction, deletion, and objection to processing.

Thus, privaatsuste concerns remain central to debates about digital rights, governance, and civil liberties, shaping how organizations collect data and how policymakers regulate its use.