The Internet of Things (IoT) and the Meaning of "Personal Data": A Case Study in Regulation for Rights

Abstract

This Article  considers the different meanings of “personal data”/“personal information” in modern data protection regimes. It notes that legislative meaning as framed, construed and applied is not necessarily treated as corresponding directly to common lexical meaning. Indeed, it often reflects a policy choice about what should be regulated and conversely what should be treated as beyond regulation. The meaning ascribed to “personal data”/“personal information” as set out in a data protection regime and deployed in policy decisions by commissioners and courts offers an example of meaning more or less shaped by considerations of rights. Specifically, the Article  considers the meaning of “pe..