Privacy trends 2013
The uphill climb continues
Our ever-deepening transition into digital is transforming businesses in ways we have not seen since the onset of the industrial revolution.
It is opening doors to a world of opportunity — and tremendous risk to privacy. As we enter a new era in privacy protection, three categories play increasingly larger roles:
In the past 15 years, privacy regulations have had to evolve quickly to address operational and lifestyle changes that technology has brought forth. Privacy regulators are doing everything they can to keep up, but as technology’s evolution accelerates, regulators continue to fall behind.
Organizations are falling back too.
The digital world is still relatively young, and boundaries are not yet fully established. Many organizations have yet to fully grasp the opportunities and responsibilities that come with operating in a digital environment.
Cyber attacks, inappropriate online etiquette and the oversharing of personal information — these are just a few of the issues organizations need to navigate and regulate not only internally, but also on behalf of consumers who may not know better.
As the digital ecosystem evolves, regulators and organizations need to open the lines of communication. As regulators walk the fine line between advisors and compliance enforcers, organizations need to strive to create boundaries rather than push them.
We are now entering a new era, where governance and accountability play a central role in effective privacy management.
Regulators realize that they can't keep chasing technological developments with specific requirements. Instead, they are emphasizing the importance of a "thinking" privacy program that assesses impact and applies the core requirements of privacy to changes in processes and technology.
Together, regulators and organizations need to serve as the stewards of privacy protection. Organizations and regulators alike need to appreciate the governance role they must play in safeguarding personal information and serving as examples for the rest of society.