Staying one step ahead of the GDPR: Embed privacy and security by design

There is a growing understanding that innovation, creativity and competitiveness must be approached from a ‘design-thinking’ perspective — namely, a way of viewing the world and overcoming constraints that is at once holistic, interdisciplinary, integrative, innovative and inspiring. This paper is about applying the same design-thinking perspective to privacy and security. Privacy must be incorporated into networked data systems and technologies, not as an afterthought, but rather, by default. The same is true of security. With the EU’s new data protection regulation (GDPR) now in force, organisations need to be one step ahead. In other words, both concepts must become integral to organisational priorities, project objectives, design processes and planning operations. Privacy and security must be embedded into every standard, protocol and process that touches our lives. Readers will gain an understanding of the significance of staying one step ahead with privacy and security and the vital need to see both as enhancements rather than barriers to not only innovation but also fundamental rights and freedoms.