Machine translation is in a healthy place when it comes to privacy?

In today\’s globalization, the need for multilingual communication puts machine translation at the forefront of the privacy debate.

The concept of privacy is central to technology use, but in machine translation (MT) and the meaning of privacy and what it represents, are both often left unquestioned. So… the most often asked question is: Is Machine Translation in a healthy place when it comes to privacy? Because, obviously, these tools carry some risks.

Data breaches

When using a machine translation, the content that is translated is often sent to a remote server. This means that the content is potentially accessible to third parties, and this carries the risk of misuse. Additionally, the content may be stored on the server, which could lead to further privacy concerns.

If data is not secured properly, it may lead to vulnerability for cyber attacks.

From the standpoint of a translation & localization agency, Machine Translation offers speed and incredibly fast turnaround times. Moreover, many machine translation providers have taken steps to ensure the privacy of their users. Such as the option to use machine translation locally, on the user’s device, which eliminates the need for content to be sent to a remote server. This is one of the first steps to make sure that content remains private and secure.

Malware

Another security risk is the potential for the system to be used for malicious purposes. For example, an attacker could use the system to translate malware instructions into a different language, making it more difficult to detect and prevent.

Given the risks,  machine translation providers are implementing various security measures (which we cannot detail for obvious reasons) to protect the privacy of the users.

At Publitrad, we use a Neural Machine Translation, but that does not mean we are not secure against the risks. Quite the contrary.

Neural machine translation improves our ability to generate multilingual content faster and more efficiently than ever before. We use a custom NMT engine that has all the security measures to ensure we do not have any risks.

Furthermore, although we use NMT, it still can’t beat human translation, so we train your dedicated team of Language Experts in the use of NMT. The benefit is that they spend less time translating but keep a watchful eye on the quality of content and the cultural nuances needed in localization, thus delivering higher-quality content.

In our security measures we took a multi-layered approach that includes: firelass, intrusion detection systems, encryption to protect the data and access controls to ensure only authorized personnel have access to it.

Since we are part of the European Union, we also have to take into consideration GDPR and its specific requirements regarding the process of personal data. Which we do, thoroughly.

Some of our best work is in industries where confidentiality is crucial, such as Healthcare, Finance and Legal.

Machine translator providers have to implement various measures to ensure confidentiality. Hence our choice of a custom Neural Machine Translation that has encrypted data communication.

Our own conclusion, after years of working with a custom Neural Machine Translation, is the machine translation is in a healthy place when it comes to privacy. It is up to the human factor to make sure the security measures are implemented and updated accordingly.

As machine translation continues to advance, it is important for providers to prioritize the privacy and security of the translated content and its users. By doing so, they can continue to provide a tool that is most beneficial for vendors worldwide.

Choose wisely. Choose Publitrad.