IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March/April 2020 - 91

Even though consumer sentiments do not
always align with their actions, we are in fact seeing a shift toward closer alignment. For example,
consumers are increasingly adopting privacyenhancing technologies like ad blockers, virtual
private networks, and encrypted apps in an
effort to protect themselves.
Companies may earn access to consumer
data by offering incentives, but that is only part
of the equation.
The 2019 Gustavson Brand Trust Index identified that brands that violate consumer trust
through a lack of transparency are consistently at
the bottom of the rankings. What's most interesting-and here's where companies need to pay
attention-is that consumers increasingly want to
interact with privacy-minded organizations that
build their brands on the basis of transparency
and consumer choice. Companies committed to
providing genuine value in return for consumer
data and a personalized user-friendly experience
are the ones who build trust with consumers.
If you give individuals more transparency
over what you are doing with their data and
more control, they will give you more data,
more accurate data, and will be more
forgiving in the event of a breach.
-Harvard Business Review (2018)

When it comes to designing for consumer privacy, companies have a dual responsibility, first,
to use data to create more value for the company
and its customers, and second, to do so in the
most privacy-centric, ethical, fair, and transparent
way possible. Too often data privacy is treated as
a mere compliance obligation. A strategic privacy
program should do much more than that.

BUILDING TRUST IN TECHNOLOGY
AND THE DATA ECONOMY
Regulatory Developments to Strengthen
Consumer Privacy Protections
In parallel with technological developments,
we have seen the evolution and strengthening of
regulatory frameworks that govern how personal
data are collected, used, and shared. The more
technology advances, the more stringent privacy
laws and regulations become.
In 2018, the European Union updated its
privacy law to include stricter requirements

March/April 2020

for companies to provide significantly more
accountability and transparency. The GDPR
applies worldwide to any organization, including
service providers, handling personal data of European residents. This regulation is regarded as a
new stage of evolution in data protection, giving
individuals enhanced privacy rights and placing
onerous compliance obligations on organizations.
While the GDPR is often referred to as the gold
standard in consumer protection, Canada has
been active in enhancing its own privacy framework-possibly making it the platinum model.
Unlike the EU, Canada sees huge value in giving
its citizens meaningful, effective privacy rights
while also ensuring that innovation becomes a
cornerstone of the Canadian economy.
To build trust with consumers and inspire
them to embrace a tech-based economy, Canadian regulators have already passed mandatory
breach notification laws and have strengthened
requirements for organizations to ensure that
they have meaningful, valid consent from individuals to use their data.
In 2019, the Canadian government also introduced its Digital Charter, an important framework
for continued Canadian leadership in the digital
and data-driven economy. Its aim is to not only
leverage Canada's unique talents and strengths in
order to harness the power of digital and data
transformation, but also to protect Canadians'
privacy and personal data.
"Canada's competitiveness will depend on
our ability to use digital innovation to
harness the power of data. [. . .] We are
building a Canada where citizens have
confidence that their data is safe and privacy
is respected, unlocking the kind of
innovation that builds a strong economy that
works for everyone." -Hon. Navdeep Bains,
Minister of Innovation, Science and
Economic Development

PRIVACY AS A STRATEGIC
IMPERATIVE
How Innovative Companies Leverage Privacy
Privacy considerations are typically analyzed through the lens of business risk. A lack
of attention to privacy can have many adverse
consequences and the degree of risk will vary
from one organization to the next, depending on

IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March/April 2020

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