What Digital Rights Mean in the New Constitution
The 2026 Constitution expressly protects personal data and the secrecy of communications transmitted using digital technologies. The legal grounds for processing data, accessing communications, and restricting information remain defined by law; biometric data are regulated under personal-data legislation rather than named separately in the Constitution.
Why digital rights matter
Earlier constitutional models were written before the digital age became central to everyday life. Today, a large part of human activity takes place online:
- communication
- banking and payments
- public services
- social networks
- storage and processing of personal data
That is why constitutional protection must extend into the digital sphere.
Main digital rights
The new constitutional approach strengthens guarantees related to:
- protection of personal data
- privacy of digital communications such as email and messengers
- protection against unlawful collection, processing, storage, and use of personal data
- legal protection for communications transmitted using digital technologies
What this means in practice
The state and private entities should not be able to:
- collect personal data without limits
- distribute data freely without lawful grounds
- interfere unlawfully with private communications
- carry out digital surveillance without constitutional and legal justification
What risks these rights address
Digital rights respond to modern threats such as:
- data leaks
- unlawful access to accounts and messages
- profiling and mass data analysis
- permanent circulation of outdated information harmful to reputation
Why constitutional status matters
When digital rights are protected only by weak regulations, they can be bypassed more easily. Once elevated to constitutional level, they become harder to ignore and easier to defend legally.
Key facts
- The Constitution expressly protects personal data and communications transmitted using digital technologies
- Biometric data are regulated by personal-data law but are not named separately in the Constitution
- They respond to data leaks, profiling, and digital surveillance risks
- Constitutional recognition gives these rights stronger legal protection
Public positions and documents
An editorial selection showing how the topic developed and where it stands now.
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«В новой Конституции Казахстана впервые закреплено право на защиту персональных данных, четко прописан запрет на незаконный сбор, обработку и использование сведений, в том числе с применением цифровых инструментов.»
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«Он отметил, что еще одной ключевой особенностью нового текста Конституции является ориентация на права человека. Так, права и свободы человека закреплены не только в новой Преамбуле, но и утверждены в качестве особого приоритета и смыслового стержня всей Конституции.»
Basis for this explainer
Constitutional provisions and primary sources supporting this explanation.
Constitutional provisions
Primary sources
Open sources the editorial team used to verify this explainer. Checked 16 July 2026.
Related articles
Quick links to the constitutional articles behind this explainer.