Gender Dynamics and the Misuse of Personal Data: Understanding Vulnerabilities in the Digital Age

Abstract

In the contemporary digital landscape, where data serves as a critical asset, the misuse of personal information represents a profound threat to privacy and security. This threat is not uniformly distributed but is deeply influenced by gender dynamics, resulting in varied levels of vulnerability and impact. This article investigates the nuanced relationship between gender dynamics and the misuse of personal data. Drawing on the work of Ruha Benjamin (2019), who explored how technological systems perpetuate racial and gender biases, and Noble (2018), who examined algorithmic discrimination and its disproportionate effects on marginalised groups, this article sheds light on the unique challenges women face due to the mishandling of their personal information. It scrutinises the implications of data misuse, including the exacerbation of existing gender disparities and the impediments to women’s digital inclusion. The article also addresses the importance of intersectionality, as articulated by Crenshaw (1991), in understanding the multifaceted nature of digital inequalities. This research article is a conceptual analytical review article; the arguments have been derived from the works of different literature published in the area of data privacy, gender data commodification, power dynamics and technology-facilitated gender-based violence. With an Accountability, Transparency and Oversight (ATO) lens, this article maps the pathways from data misuse to harm and sets out steps that platforms and regulators can act on and proposes policy recommendations to promote gender-sensitive data protection and an empowering digital environment.