Today as I was walking in the park, I realized that contextual integrity is a great concept in data privacy. It applies to many walks of life (pun intended) and not only to privacy or data processing.
For example, you decide to walk in a certain way to give more exercise to your body while walking. Now, you cannot do that outside the park. Say, out on a footpath or in a crowded shopping mall or in your office elevator lobby 😊. I mean you can, but not recommended.
Because this will be out of context. Because people will think you are weird. Not only that, they will assume levels of weirdness basis the place they see you in doing that strange walk!
That tells us something for data privacy too. While collecting personal data or asking questions, the context matters. A lot. For instance, your doctor can ask personal sensitive questions about your health. But imagine the same or similar question a salesman asks you at a shopping mall or at a book fair. We will be surprised and some of us may even feel offended. Why? Because it is out of context.
Contextual integrity should be a guiding principle when deciding about data privacy.