Data Leaks Through Public Digital Document Libraries: A Growing Concern in Relation to Personal Data Protection and Cyber Security Regulations

Data leaks through digital document libraries have escalated into a critical issue locally and globally. While at one end the online libraries provide remarkable opportunities for sharing and gaining access to digital documents in a wide array of niches, at the other end it poses risk of infringement of sensitive personal information and raises significant concerns about data protection and cyber security. This paper explores the implications of these data breaches in the context of personal data protection regulations at selected jurisdictions and emphasises the urgent need for enhanced cyber security measures. This research engaged in case study of a public digital document library, Scribd, by examining specific cases using keyword-based search methodology where personal identification numbers, passport, birth certificate and telephone numbers have been compromised, and engaging in Boolean-operators to refine the search results and filtering the report for quality searches. This paper highlights the technical and legal analysis of data leaks involving public digital document libraries through the lens of personal data protection and cyber security regulations in selected jurisdictions. The study found an alarming and growing concern about personal data violations through these libraries which could potentially lead to cyber security threats. The study also highlights some regulatory challenges in terms of enforcement of the personal data protection and cyber security requirements of using the digital libraries. The study concludes by suggesting firmer implementation of the terms of use of the services on the part of the library provider, as well as enhanced security control requirements on part of the provider as well as the users.