The GDPR Paradox: Empowering Government in the Name of Data Protection

The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which became effective in 2016, is one of the most detailed legislative schemes in the field of data protection. This article discusses two libertarian-minded objections to its approach. First, I argue that the notion of “right” adopted in the GDPR is flawed. Second, it shows that the GDPR doesn’t protect individuals from data-hungry governments and corporations.

Andrea Togni is a Philosophy and history teacher at Liceo Medardo Rosso (Lecco).