The right to privacy in the digital age A/RES/71/199 Recognizing that the discussion on the right to privacy should be based upon existing international and domestic legal obligations, including international human rights law, as well as relevant commitments, and should not open the path for undue interference with an individual’s human rights, Stressing the importance of full respect for the freedom to seek, receive and impart information, including the fundamental importance of access to information and democratic participation, Recalling that the right to privacy is important for the exercise of freed om of expression, including the right to seek, receive and impart information, and contributes to the development of an individual’s ability to participate in political, economic, social and cultural life and that digital technology has a considerable impact on the enjoyment of these rights, Noting that, while metadata can provide benefits, certain types of metadata, when aggregated, can reveal personal information and can give an insight into an individual’s behaviour, social relationships, private prefer ences and identity, Expressing concern that individuals often do not provide their free, explicit and informed consent to the sale or multiple resale of their personal data, as the collecting, processing and sharing of personal data, including sensitive d ata, have increased significantly in the digital age, Emphasizing that unlawful or arbitrary surveillance and/or interception of communications, as well as the unlawful or arbitrary collection of personal data, as highly intrusive acts, violate the right to privacy, can interfere with the right to freedom of expression and may contradict the tenets of a democratic society, including when undertaken on a mass scale, Recognizing that the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online, including the right to privacy, Noting in particular that surveillance of digital communications must be consistent with international human rights obligations and must be conducted on the basis of a legal framework, which must be publicly accessible, clear, precise, comprehensive and non-discriminatory, and that any interference with the right to privacy must not be arbitrary or unlawful, bearing in mind what is reasonable to the pursuance of legitimate aims, and recalling that States that are parties to th e International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights must undertake the necessary steps to adopt laws or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to the rights recognized in the Covenant, Emphasizing that States must respect international human rights obligations regarding the right to privacy when they intercept digital communications of individuals and/or collect personal data and when they require disclosure of personal data from third parties, including private companies, Recognizing the global and open nature of the Internet as a driving force in accelerating progress towards development in its various forms, including in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, 11 _______________ 11 See resolution 70/1. 3/6