The Rapidly Changing Privacy Landscape

The 21st century will be defined by computer technology, and at the heart of it is data. Over the past few years, internet users worldwide have realized that their personal data is being stored, processed, and shared to generate massive profits for technology companies like Google and Facebook. This realization has led to awareness about the importance of personal data and that data privacy is, in fact, a fundamental human right.  

Since the implementation of GDPR in 2018, countries have been quickly formulating and adopting new privacy laws. California was the first U.S. state to implement a privacy law known as the California Consumer Protection Act or CCPA. Now, more than 120 countries have passed their privacy laws. These new privacy regulations reflect a groundswell of sentiment that an individual’s right to privacy vs. business organizations’ right to collect, process, and otherwise leverage personal data (PD) for commercial gain had gotten out of balance. New privacy laws are quickly being drafted, discussed, and implemented across the globe. Businesses that rely on collecting and processing personal data must enforce robust privacy policies and comply with governing privacy laws.