Why Personal Data Is Not Abstract: From the Inca Empire to the Cloud.
Empires have always ruled through information.
In the Inca Empire, quipus recorded births, deaths, labor, and tribute. They were not symbols detached from reality; they represented life itself. Knowing meant governing.
Today, the knots have been replaced by clicks.
Every online purchase, every shared location, every uploaded photo produces personal data. This data is not abstract. It reveals habits, routines, relationships, and vulnerabilities. It draws a detailed portrait of private life.
That is why modern law intervenes. Under the GDPR, personal data is protected because it belongs to a person, not because it is economically valuable. The individual (the data subject) is the weaker party in a digital relationship.
History reminds us of a simple truth:
who controls information holds power.
Mini Quiz
When you hear “personal data,” do you think of numbers or of daily life?
Would you share the same information with a stranger offline?
If your data disappeared tomorrow, what part of your life would vanish with it?