Information Privacy and the Right to be Forgotten: An Exploratory Survey of Public Opinion and Attitudes

In 2012, the European Commission proposed draft Data Protection Regulation which included the "right to be forgotten". This proposed right has been greatly debated. In this exploratory survey of public opinion in Ireland, it appears individuals want this "right to be forgotten" to be implemented. However there is scepticism as to how it will be implemented and ultimately whether it will be a success. The aim of this proposed right is to give users more control over their personal data. Individuals believe that placing an expiry date is a more feasible option than attempting to erase all online information if they request to do so. There is some ambiguity surrounding what this right would mean in practice. The survey also explores individual's attitudes toward information privacy. This article finds that individuals disclose a significant amount of personal information, feel they have little control over their information privacy and do not feel protected by current legislation.