NARADA of Indian mythology, then regarded mostly as pesky and troublesome, would today be worshipped as the Information God with the modern world having realized the power of knowledge. But at what point does information move to the realm of intrusive knowledge?

Today,  European Union  and US officials are scheduled to initiate talks in Washington on a personal data protection agreement when cooperating to fight terrorism or crime. Negotiations between the two are expected to reconcile security and citizen’s rights to ensure protection of personal data such as passenger data or financial information that is transferred as part of transatlantic cooperation in criminal matters.

The agreement is expected to enhance EU and US citizen’s right to access, rectify or delete data when it is processed with the aim to prevent, investigate, detect or prosecute criminal offences, including terrorism. For the EU, effective judicial review and a more proportionate use of data by public authorities are key objectives of the agreement.

Since the fateful 9/11 and subsequent terrorist attacks in Europe, US and Europe had stepped up police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters. Exchange of information, being an essential element of effective cooperation in the fight against crime, often transgressed citizen’s rights to privacy.

The international agreement would include limitations on data storage, independent oversight and individual access and rectification.