Data Protection

EU data protection laws will get customers spending next year but there might be a slight issue working out who to talk to about it at a customer level

Data breaches have become the new norm these days, as criminals look to exploit various types of information. To make matters worse, enterprises and even governments are not known for keeping that information safe from prying eyes. Interestingly enough, there are specific types of data that criminals want more than others, which is not entirely surprising either.

Undercover researchers from the consumer group contacted 14 companies that sell data. They managed to access personal information about half a million people over the age of 50, including details about their salary and pensions.

Privacy is what sets us apart from the animals. It’s also what sets many countries and citizens apart from dictatorships and despots. People often don’t think about their rights until they need them – whether it’s when they’re arrested at a protest or pulled over for a routine traffic stop.

Our phones hold it all: passwords, family photos, private messages. You only need to look at recent news coverage of the battle between the FBI and Apple to see just how critically we depend on our phones in today’s society, and how important they are to privacy.

Dixon describes GDPR as a “game-changer” in how organisations and individuals will treat and value data. While companies have been warned about punitive fines, one aspect that is rarely mentioned is the potential for civil action by individuals that will come in the wake of GDPR.