Guardians of Data: From Chunca Camayoc to Digital Platforms.
The Inca Empire organized information through guardians. The Chunca Camayoc supervised groups of ten and reported upward through a strict hierarchy. Information always moved toward power.
The structure feels ancient … yet familiar.
Today, digital platforms collect data at every level: apps, websites, devices. Information flows upward to corporations and states that hold unprecedented visibility over private life.
From a GDPR perspective, the problem is not collection itself, but unchecked accumulation. Transparency, purpose limitation, and data minimization exist precisely to prevent surveillance from becoming absolute.
The question is no longer who collects, but how far they are allowed to go.
Mini Quiz
Do you know who receives the data you generate daily?
Can you easily access or delete that data?
Who benefits most from your information: you, or the platform?