What are the 3 foundational elements of Privacy by Design?

By Aman Priyanshu

Privacy by Design is a framework that promotes the integration of privacy and data protection principles into the design and operation of systems, products, and services. The three foundational elements of Privacy by Design are proactive measures, privacy as the default setting, and end-to-end security. Proactive measures involve anticipating and preventing privacy-invasive events before they occur, rather than reacting to privacy breaches after they have happened. Privacy as the default setting means that privacy features are automatically enabled, requiring users to take action only if they want to share more information. End-to-end security ensures that data is protected throughout its lifecycle, from the point of collection to its eventual disposal, and that it is not vulnerable to unauthorized access or disclosure.

To illustrate, imagine building a house with privacy in mind. Proactive measures in this context would involve using sturdy locks, alarm systems, and security cameras to prevent break-ins. Privacy as the default setting would mean that all windows have blinds or curtains, and visitors must be invited inside rather than having unrestricted access. End-to-end security would ensure that the house is well-constructed with strong doors and windows, and that sensitive documents are shredded before being disposed of, preventing unauthorized access to personal information. Just as a well-designed house prioritizes security and privacy, Privacy by Design emphasizes proactive, default privacy settings, and end-to-end security to protect personal data in the digital world.

Please note that the provided answer is a brief overview; for a comprehensive exploration of privacy, privacy-enhancing technologies, and privacy engineering, as well as the innovative contributions from our students at Carnegie Mellon’s Privacy Engineering program, we highly encourage you to delve into our in-depth articles available through our homepage at https://privacy-engineering-cmu.github.io/.

Author: My name is Aman Priyanshu, you can check out my website for more details or check out my other socials: LinkedIn and Twitter

Share: