The government's Personal Information Protection Commission is considering requiring giant IT companies and other entities that collect personal data on online browsing and buying histories to, in principle, fulfill individuals' requests to stop using such personal data, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.
The obligation is expected to be incorporated into the Personal Information Protection Law, which will be revised as early as 2020. The move is aimed at allowing individuals to manage their data by themselves and preventing the data from being abused against their will, according to sources.
Currently, if an individual agrees with a company on the use of their personal data, and then asks the company to stop using it, the company is only required to fulfill the request in limited cases -- when the company used the personal data for purposes other than the original intent, or when it obtained the data illegally.
For that reason, there have been cases in which companies did not acquiesce to customers' demand that companies stop utilizing their personal data after they previously consented to the companies' use of it. Many consumers have complained about such situations.
If individuals can freely stop the usage of their personal data, companies will not be able to ascertain individuals' preferences based on their online buying histories, and ads compiled through a combination of data on individual preferences will not be displayed mainly on social networking sites.
Regarding the anticipation of individuals' preferences by analyzing personal data via artificial intelligence or other means, the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation, which requires strict management of individual data, includes the right of individuals to request that their personal data no longer be used.
Taking into account such overseas examples, the commission intends to expand individuals' rights for personal data, according to sources.
The Personal Information Protection Law, which came into effect in May 2017, has to be revised every three years. The commission is proceeding with the revision of the law by 2020.
New law to restrict giant IT firms
An expert panel to discuss how to regulate giant IT firms held its meeting on Wednesday and compiled a draft report that incorporated the direction of a new law to require them to secure the transparency of their transactions.
The government will start detailed discussions on the new law this summer or later, aiming to submit a bill for the new law to the ordinary Diet session next year at the earliest, according to sources.
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