Every year on the 28th of January, Data Privacy Day is celebrated across the world. The day is seen as an annual celebration to empower people and businesses to respect privacy and build trust.

First established in 2006 by the Council of Europe, a host of countries have embraced the occasion since. 28th January was chosen as the date since it commemorates Convention 108 – the first legally binding international treaty on data protection, signed in 1981. 

As we head into 2025, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to state that data privacy has become more important than ever. With a noticeable uptick in cybercrime and hacking, the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, and the constant barrage of online advertising we’re exposed to, the need of the hour is compelling solutions that protect our valuable data. 

In this thought piece, we’ll explore emerging trends that CEO Alessia Ferronato identifies as key drivers likely to shape the future of data privacy. We’ll also examine how policymakers and corporate organizations are working toward a shared objective: creating a safer digital world.

Trend 1 - The enduring effects of artificial intelligence (AI)

Perhaps the biggest trend that will impact the next few decades across industries is AI. 

Such was the unprecedented rise and adoption of AI in the year 2024 that everyone including individuals, businesses, and governments were left grappling to make sense of the opportunities and challenges posed by what might be considered the greatest advancement in human history. 

We understand that Chat GPT has really simplified our lives! But while AI provides unparalleled capabilities for automation and assistance, it must be meticulously balanced with user security via compliance. 

One might argue that stringent privacy laws around AI might compromise innovation, but early indications and examples of AI’s capabilities in potentially manipulating data and algorithms call for regulation. 

Trend 2 - Governments drafting privacy laws 

In line with the first trend, policymakers across the world are building on the current laws that govern privacy protection. 

In 2018, we saw the enforcement of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) by the EU which is a legal framework requiring companies to have robust processes in place for handling and storing personal information. You might have noticed websites asking you for permission to collect your information in recent times!

Along the same lines, one of the most revolutionary laws that will come into effect in 2026 is The EU Artificial Intelligence Act. The comprehensive law assigns applications using AI into three risk categories. Unacceptable risk applications are outright banned, while high-risk applications are subject to specific legal requirements. Applications not explicitly banned or listed as high-risk are largely left unregulated. 

You can expect similar privacy laws to come into effect worldwide. According to Gartner, 75% of the global population will have their personal data covered under privacy regulations very soon. 

Trend 3 - Large privately held companies lead the way

In 2021, Apple brought about a paradigm shift in the way global corporations address user privacy with the release of the iOS 14 update that allowed users to opt out of data tracking “across Apps and Websites owned by other companies.” 

This caused chaotic scenes in the world of online advertising, especially for companies like Facebook that derive most of their revenue from advertising. 

In 2024, Google hit pause on its plan to phase out third-party cookies for all Chrome users, but you can expect this to come into effect sometime in the future in line with competitors like Mozilla and Safari. 

Larger corporations are realizing the importance of enhancing the privacy of their customers and online users in general, aligning with the broader objective of protecting individual data rights. We anticipate more of the same in the year ahead from Zuckerberg, Musk, and co.!

Trend 4 - Smaller businesses follow suit 

As we highlighted earlier in this article, the rise in data breaches is a pressing concern for both individuals and businesses. If statistics are anything to go by, small businesses are most affected. In 2020 alone, there were over 700,000 attacks against small businesses, totaling $2.8 billion in damages.

A trend we’re likely to see in 2025 is small businesses prioritizing the security and privacy of their operations and that of their customers - partly due to increased regulatory scrutiny and partly to safeguard their own interests. 

With the right strategies and tools in place such as regular risk assessments, employee training on best practices, and implementation of advanced security technologies, companies can ace the ever-evolving privacy landscape. 

Trend 5 - The policy-policing conundrum  

And finally, the last trend that we expect to impact data privacy is the pushback against government policy. 

A prime example of this is the US government’s proposed ban on beloved social media platform TikTok in 2025 citing data mining concerns by the Chinese-owned company. Could this be the end of viral challenges and entertaining dance videos?

The law was passed on April 24th, 2024 in the US parliament with bipartisan support, and temporarily came into effect on 19th January 2025. While services resumed the next day, TikTok's parent company ByteDance still faces a permanent ban unless it sells its US operations to an American company. 

The law was passed with concerns for national security such as the spread of misinformation and espionage in mind, however many have called it the ‘policing’ of social media. In fact, TikTok even challenged the law in the Supreme Court, citing that it limits free speech as highlighted in America’s First Amendment. 

Whether TikTok will eventually be banned, disrupting the multibillion-dollar creator economy, remains to be seen but we can assume the debate around legislative interference will continue to rage on. 

Conclusion 

Thank you for taking the time to read this article! As we look ahead to 2025 and beyond, emerging trends like artificial intelligence will continue to shape the landscape of data privacy. Striking the right balance between leveraging innovation and managing risks will be critical in defining the future of digital security.

With new privacy laws on the horizon, businesses, both large and small, will face the responsibility of ensuring compliance. This progress is a positive step toward greater transparency and security, provided it doesn’t stifle innovation or restrict free expression.

Ultimately, safeguarding your privacy starts with you. Before we end, we leave you with a few simple yet impactful steps to protect your data:

1. Regularly update your passwords and enable two-factor authentication wherever possible. Remember to use strong, unique combinations and steer clear of common passwords like your date of birth!
2. Remove location tracking, gallery access, and microphone access from apps. There is significant evidence to suggest your phone is listening even when not in use.
3. Be cautious about sharing personal information online or with apps. A lot of your data is freely accessible unless you take specific steps to review privacy settings and permissions. 

When you visit a webpage remember to select the ‘only essential cookies’ option as this limits the amount of data the website can store and share about you. 

4. Avoid using Wi-Fi and Internet networks in public as these networks are used by many others and are often not secure. Along the same lines, never plug your phone or computer into a public charging station. 
5. Don't forget to delete old files from cloud backups. Files left on older online clouds like iCloud may be more susceptible to being hacked, as passwords and privacy measures become outdated. 
6. And finally, here is a pro tip! You can actually encrypt your most valuable data, thus making it harder for hackers to access your private files. There are several programs and tools that allow you to do this.