In the 21st century, warfare is no longer confined to visible battlefields or military installations. Power struggles are increasingly taking place in digital spaces through the control, ownership, and deployment of data. While governments, corporations, and non-state actors compete for data dominance, individuals often remain unaware that their personal information has become both a strategic asset and a potential tool of control. This quiet contest over data has profound implications for human rights, especially the rights to privacy, autonomy, and freedom of expression.
The Changing Nature of Power in the Digital Age
Traditionally, power was tied to land, resources, and weapons. Today, it is increasingly tied to information. The unprecedented scale at which data is collected, from online behavior, financial transactions, mobile device usage, biometric systems, and even everyday conversations gives those who control it enormous influence over individuals and societies.
For example, platforms that collect behavioral data can predict user preferences and shape political opinions through targeted content. Authoritarian regimes have used mass surveillance to silence dissent, while private companies have leveraged data to manipulate consumer behavior and profit from personal information. As Shoshana Zuboff (2019) famously described, this is the rise of “surveillance capitalism,” where human experience itself is transformed into raw material for commercial and political use.
Privacy as a Fundamental Human Right
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 12) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Article 17) both recognize the right to privacy as a core human right. However, the widespread collection and use of data now challenge this principle in unprecedented ways. When personal information is collected without informed consent, or stored in insecure databases, individuals lose control over their identities and life choices. This is not merely a technical or regulatory problem it is a direct assault on human dignity.
In many developing contexts, weak data protection laws make populations even more vulnerable. For example, biometric data collected for national identity systems can be weaponized for political targeting or discriminatory exclusion if not properly safeguarded.
Data Colonialism and Global Inequality
An often overlooked dimension of the data-human rights debate is the global asymmetry in data power. Major technology companies headquartered in the Global North collect and process massive amounts of data generated in the Global South. This creates what scholars call “data colonialism” — a structure in which developing societies supply data but have little control over how it is used (Couldry & Mejias, 2019).
This imbalance reinforces existing global inequalities and undermines digital sovereignty. It also raises critical questions about who owns data, who benefits from it, and who is held accountable when data misuse causes harm.
Invisible Wars: Data as a Tool of Coercion and Control
Unlike conventional warfare, data wars are silent but pervasive. They take the form of cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, algorithmic manipulation, and state surveillance. Unlike physical battles, the victims may not even realize they are under attack.
For example, during elections in several countries, digital platforms have been used to micro-target voters, amplify polarizing content, or suppress particular voices, eroding democratic processes without firing a single shot. In conflict-affected regions, surveillance technologies have been deployed to track and silence human rights defenders. The implications are clear: data is no longer just information; it is power. And unchecked power threatens human rights.
Protecting Rights in the Age of Data
i) Safeguarding human rights in this context requires a multi-layered response:
ii) Robust Legal Frameworks: Governments must adopt and enforce robust data protection laws that align with international human rights standards.
iii) Transparency and Accountability: Both states and private corporations should be held accountable for how they collect, process, and share data.
iv) Digital Literacy: Citizens must be empowered to understand how their data is collected and used and how to protect themselves online.
v) Ethical Technology: Developers and researchers must embed human rights principles into the design of digital systems.
vi) Global Cooperation: Since data flows transcend borders, international cooperation is crucial to prevent abuse and regulate transnational data practices.
A Call for a Rights-Based Digital Future
Invisible wars may not leave visible scars, but they reshape societies in subtle and lasting ways. Recognizing data as a human rights issue is not an act of alarmism; it is an acknowledgment of reality. If unregulated, data power can entrench authoritarianism, deepen inequality, and undermine democracy. But if governed responsibly, data can become a force for inclusion, innovation, and empowerment. The choice, ultimately, is collective. It depends on how governments, corporations, civil society, and citizens choose to act.
********By Dr. Brandford A.S
References
Couldry, N. & Mejias, U. A. (2019). The Costs of Connection: How Data is Colonizing Human Life and Appropriating it for Capitalism. Stanford University Press.
United Nations. (1948). Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
United Nations. (1966). International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Zuboff, S. (2019). The Age of Surveillance Capitalism. PublicAffairs.
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