Using the Instrumentality of Law and Policy in Balancing Privacy Issues, Security and Civil Liberties in a Digital Era

Abstract

Information technology is rapidly changing our world. It avails us with new opportunities to interact,
communicate and do businesses. The wide and increased usage of the internet has made communication easy, fast and
efficient. On the other hand, information and communication technology also provides an avalanche of avenues through
which harm can be perpetrated to our security both individually and collectively. The threats and challenges posed by
information technology continue to evolve on daily basis, hence the need to protect our human and constitutionally
guaranteed rights. The tug of war between privacy concerns and security has become a defining issue of the digital age.
The paper aims to discuss the need for the government to regulate the new threats posed by information technology using
the instrumentality of the law. This paper made use of primary sources of data such as such as enabling laws, acts and
secondary sources of data, conventions, and journal articles. The study is also analytical and comparative in nature. The
paper finds that advanced and sophisticated technology have facilitated constant intrusion into people’s personal data and
communications. There is need to protect legal, ethical and social values against these constantly up surging technologies.
The paper therefore recommends amongst others that there is an urgent need to finding the right equilibrium between
privacy threats and constitutionally guaranteed civil liberties as the society embraces emerging technology like artificial
intelligence and its likes. Thus, governments need to develop significant legal frameworks to regulate government
surveillance steps, increase transparency and implement privacy-enhancing measures.