Features of ensuring the confidentiality of information about a protected participant in criminal proceedings in the context of digitalization

The use of information technology is undoubtedly a catalyst for the development of society and the state, but at the same time it creates certain risks for the protection of personal data of ordinary citizens, including citizens participating in criminal proceedings. This article is devoted to the growing problem of ensuring the confidentiality of information about a protected participant in criminal proceedings in the context of digitalization, which requires special attention. This problem seems relevant due to the fact that citizens often independently make public various aspects of their daily lives, posting information about themselves on the Internet, including the publication of text, photo and video materials, etc. For this reason, in order to ensure the confidentiality of information about the protected person in the context of digitalization, the removal from public access of personal data that allows identifying the protected participant in criminal proceedings is of particular relevance. The authors of the article used general scientific research methods (analysis, synthesis, deduction, induction, formal logical, forecasting) and private scientific research methods (statistical and formal legal). Based on the results of the study, the authors of the article came to the conclusion that in modern conditions the task of removing an exhaustive amount of personal data from public access is unsolvable, and therefore one should strive to minimize the possibility of disclosing confidential information about protected persons via the Internet. The authors propose, in order to ensure the confidentiality of information of a protected participant in criminal proceedings, that the investigator, interrogator or prosecutor who initiated the application of the security measure in question should inform participants in criminal proceedings about the need to take independent measures to remove digital traces on the Internet.