GDPR Turns 5: Watch out for these 5 Data Privacy Trends

On May 25, 2023, it will be five years since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect in 2018.

The GDPR paved the way for organizations to handle personal data with greater accountability, while putting individuals’ data privacy rights front and center. So, what better way to celebrate its ongoing impact than to dive into the top 5 data privacy developments for the coming year?

Since its introduction, GDPR has also gained momentum globally, inspiring similar legislation in other regions and making data privacy a topic that can’t be ignored in our increasingly tech-driven lives. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the emerging privacy trends in most regions of the world that we can expect to see in the coming year, including the rise of data ethics, privacy-enhancing technologies, and data localization laws, to name a few.

Here are the top 5 privacy trends that we think you should know about:

1. Increased focus on data ethics: As consumers increasingly expect companies to be more transparent in their data handling practices, data privacy and data ethics are beginning to be seen as complementary and important practices that should be closely linked. This means that organizations need to take seriously not only consent, but also transparency, bias and discrimination, and data security.
   
   
2. Data protection for children: Particularly with the increased use and readily available technology for young individuals to access online platforms and social media, there is a growing concern to children’s data privacy that needs to be protected. In the EU, the US, Canada and Brazil, regulations have already been introduced to ensure that children’s data is protected. However other countries are following swiftly, in introducing data privacy laws specifically for minors as we see developments happening in India and Australia.
   
   
3. The rise of data localization laws: Particularly in sectors that are critical to national security, more and more countries are introducling laws that require data to be stored locally. As an example, storing data on servers located in the EU may provide greater protection against data breaches and unauthorized access to data, as EU data protection laws require organizations to implement robust security measures to protect personal data. For multinational organizations, this may create a challenge as they will have to navigate different data protection laws in multilpe jurisdictions. In terms of the GDPR and the use of cookies, it is therefore best to choose a cookie consent tool that stores customer data in a safe place. At consentmanager, we only use servers in data centres in Europe, to ensure our users a maximum security.
   
   
4. Expanding the Right to be Forgotten: The right to be forgotten, which allows individuals to request the removal of their personal data from search engine results and other public databases, is predicted to be extended to other contexts. For example, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) already includes provisions for the right to be forgotten, and other countries are considering similar measures. For example, some countries are considering extending the right to be forgotten to cover social media platforms, allowing users to request the deletion of their personal information from these platforms. Additionally, some countries are exploring the possibility of applying the right to be forgotten to biometric data, giving individuals the right to request the deletion of their biometric information held by organizations.
   
   
5. Greater enforcement of data protection laws: As data breaches become more frequent and severe, regulators are expected to step up their enforcement of data protection laws. This could include larger fines, increased scrutiny of data handling practices, and greater powers to investigate and punish non-compliant organizations.

The trickle-down effect since GDPR went into force in 2018 brought many positive impacts on the data protection environment, and it is important to remain vigilant by keeping an eye on upcoming data protection trends. The five trends discussed in this article – increased focus on data ethics, increased data protection for children, the rise of data localization laws, the expansion of the right to be forgotten, and increased enforcement of data protection laws – highlight the continued evolution of data privacy regulation and the need for organizations to adapt to the changing landscape. By keeping an eye on these trends and proactively implementing data privacy best practices, organizations can ensure that they remain compliant with GDPR and other data privacy laws while protecting the personal data of their customers and stakeholders.