Navigating Data Protection Compliance Challenges: Embracing Privacy by Design

Privacy laws are constantly evolving globally, presenting organizations with the challenge of adapting their data protection strategies to stay compliant. In a recent interview with Help Net Security, Kabir Barday, CEO at OneTrust, emphasized the importance of embracing privacy by design to navigate these compliance challenges effectively.

With 18 comprehensive state privacy laws in the United States and a proposed federal law, the regulatory landscape is dynamic and complex. Organizations often struggle to keep up with the multitude of laws and requirements, leading to inefficiencies in compliance efforts. Barday suggests that a proactive approach to data privacy compliance, such as privacy by design, is key to staying ahead of evolving regulations.

One common challenge for organizations is securing additional budget for security and privacy programs. Barday advises CISOs to demonstrate the value of compliance through metrics and benchmarking, aligning initiatives with business objectives to advocate for increased funding. By investing in compliance technology, organizations can gain a competitive advantage in a privacy-focused market and build trust with consumers and stakeholders.

To support privacy and data protection programs, organizations should implement core technical and physical security measures. These include understanding the data footprint, enabling compliant data use, implementing consistent governance, and continuously monitoring risk. By following best practices such as moving from reactive to proactive approaches, automating key privacy activities, and fostering cross-functional collaboration, organizations can enhance their overall data security posture and comply with privacy regulations effectively.

Failure to establish a comprehensive privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity program can lead to various long-term consequences for organizations. These include non-compliance risks, data breaches, misuse of consumer data, compromised AI initiatives, and erosion of trust with consumers and stakeholders. On the other hand, a robust data privacy program can deliver significant benefits beyond compliance, enabling organizations to drive trusted innovation, harness the potential of their data for AI, and navigate the data-centric era with confidence.