Data PrivacySynthetic Data to Super Data Protection?

Synthetic Data to Super Data Protection?

Of late, there has been news in the public domain that Meta may turn to Synthetic Data to Feed its AI Growth.

What is Synthetic Data?

Synthetic data refers to artificially generated data that is not derived from real-world events but mimics the characteristics of actual data. Whereas, the data will be of real persons i.e. Data Principals.

It is increasingly being used in various industries for testing, analysis, and machine learning. One of the most compelling applications of synthetic data is in the realm of data protection.

Synthetic Data is expected to help those companies especially FMCG, BFIR, FinTech, Hospitality, etc., which require huge data analytics to propel business growth, on a regular basis, to the next level.

What are the Challenges and Considerations?

The challenges and considerations can be understood as under:

1. Data Quality: The synthetic data must accurately represent the original data to be useful.

2. Cost: Generating high-quality synthetic data can be resource-intensive.

3. Ethical Concerns: There may be ethical considerations if the synthetic data is used to draw conclusions about individuals or groups.

What are the Legal Implications?

Though it has many advantages, the legality is a big grey area pertaining to various factors amongst them being;

• Data Ownership: Who owns the synthetic data and what are their rights and responsibilities?
• Liability: If synthetic data is flawed and leads to incorrect conclusions or decisions, who is liable?

Here, it is worthwhile to mention that there Community Data Protection or Privacy is still being explored in many jurisdictions and the Indian DPDPA,2023 is yet to see the action with its implementation.

Boon or Bane

Synthetic data offers a promising avenue for enhancing data protection measures. It allows for robust data analysis and sharing without compromising on data privacy. However, it is essential to navigate the legal and ethical implications carefully.