The role and the rights of individual in data economy ecosystems: implementation of the 5G electronic communication networks in Latvia
Ilze Auliciema · Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference "Economic Science for Rural Development"/Economic Science for Rural Development · 2023
The article aims to reveal human privacy aspects of implementing 5G technologies in Latvia and provide an insight into how technology affects individuals and their privacy and property rights. The research analyses Latvian and European Union policy planning documents and regulatory acts in the 5G technology implementation and digital transformation, looking at them from the perspective of the ecosystem approach and individual rights. As a result of the study, it is revealed that the European Union and its member states are already facing a severe dilemma - priorities must be chosen: protection of individual data and private life or rapid development of the digital economy. The European Union's efforts to secure 5G networks and data security are taking longer than the technology ecosystem expects. The fact that the implementation of 5G technologies has been transferred to the hands of telecommunications operators (private business structures, with very little public capital or even global structures) and the development of different services are more private sector-oriented as well creates a threat that people and even state will not be able to control the use of data that is processed using data transmission networks. The study contributes to the discussion on the ethical aspects of digital transformation and data economy at individual and national levels.