As each generation of mobile mapping technology improves on the last, the data these tools capture gets crisper and more realistic. This is good news, but there are downsides which require data anonymization as this blog will discuss.
From a NavVis blog by Sean Higgins.
When the scanner captures finer details, you’re not just capturing the general environment anymore. You’re also capturing information that could be used to identify a specific person. Think faces, name tags, and license plates.
That’s why capturing 3D data in today’s technological landscape means contending with serious privacy challenges — and that’s true whether you’re a laser scanning professional or an enterprise. 3D scanning requires a whole new level of care and responsibility from you, your partners, and your customers, all of whom need to act with care to protect personal information from getting into the hands of malicious actors.
Today, we’ll talk about the privacy challenges of 3D data capture. And then, we’ll show you how to minimize those risks, so you can continue to run your business with confidence.
The new risks of 3D capture
There are numerous ways your data can leak during a project, which will let personal information get into the wrong hands.
For example, when permissions are not locked down effectively, it becomes possible for unauthorized employees to access your data. If your security is inadequate, your data is open to a hack or breach. If you send data on physical drives, they could be intercepted in the mail.
There are obvious negatives to letting malicious actors access personal data. But here are a few you might not have considered
Due to several highly publicized breaches in recent years, regulators are passing strict protections around the use and storage of personal data. European readers are undoubtedly familiar with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which went into effect in 2018. This legal regulation is intended to give people control over their personal data by prohibiting the use of that data without their consent.
The important thing for you to know is that GDPR will impose strict punishments on businesses that allow the misuse or breach of data. Fines for businesses that violate GDPR can reach 20 million euros or more, which could do seriously damage your finances, no matter how big you are.
And it’s not just European LSPs who should be aware of these regulations. The list of governments with similar protections is growing. Today Canada, Japan, California, and more have already instituted similar laws.
For the complete article on data anonymization CLICK HERE.
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