ISO’s New Standard: Privacy By Design

One of the first ISO standards for 2023, Privacy by Design, will assist companies in incorporating privacy into their goods and services from the outset. A standard for privacy by design called ISO 31700 will be put into use by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The standard, which will go into effect on February 8th, will lay out 30 standards for privacy-by-design principles rather than immediately enforcing compliance. 

The 2009 publication of “Privacy by Design,” a key work by Ann Cavoukian, served as the basis for the new ISO 31700, and is officially named “Consumer protection – Privacy by design for consumer goods and services.” 

The goal of Cavoukian’s original seven Privacy by Design principles was to allow companies to use customers’ personal information for their own economic gain while also ensuring that the data was safeguarded throughout its entire lifecycle. The guidelines were expanded into a 30-step framework in ISO 31700 to assist enterprises in incorporating data privacy-thinking into their operational procedures. 

As outlined in Article 25 of the GDPR, privacy by design is a requirement for data controllers in a growing number of foreign jurisdictions. The parent corporation of Facebook, Meta, received a €265 million punishment for breaking Article 25 in late 2022. The fine was the third largest ever assessed against a firm, and it was the first one that was particularly for violating Privacy by Design. Through useful advice on how to conduct privacy risk assessments, set up and document privacy controls, implement data lifecycle management plans, and get ready for and handle data breaches, ISO 31700 will assist enterprises in meeting their data privacy requirements. 

Defining ISO 31700 

A new international standard for data privacy is ISO 31700. In the modern world, it serves as a crucial framework for managing information security and data privacy. For the creation and use of consumer products, ISO 31700 establishes tight criteria for including privacy considerations, including safeguarding personal data while in use. 

Depending on their particular needs, the guidelines in ISO 31700 can be applied to any kind of organization or business. It makes suggestions for the method of handling privacy threats and the organizational management structure required to handle these problems successfully. 

Requirements of ISO 31700 

The final ISO 31700 standard will have 30 standards, including general advice on building tools that allow users to exercise their privacy rights, allocating pertinent roles and powers, and supplying users with privacy information. 

Furthermore, it will introduce privacy by design to protect privacy over the course of a consumer product’s lifecycle, including any domestic data processing done by the consumer. The ISO 31700 standard will provide guidance on how to conduct privacy risk assessments, define and document privacy control needs, create privacy control designs, manage lifecycle data, and mitigate data breaches. 

Guiding Principles: Privacy by Design 

Ann Cavoukian, the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, Canada, initially presented the idea of privacy by design in the late 1990s. The objective was to make sure that privacy was taken into account at every stage of the creation of new products and technology, rather than just at the end. 

The framework was created in response to the expanding volume of personal data being gathered, saved, and shared by businesses and organizations, as well as the rise in data breaches and privacy violations. The following are the three privacy-by design guiding principles: 

1. Empowerment and transparency: With consumers becoming more concerned about protecting their personal information (PII) in the digital age, there is a rising need for businesses to be visible and accountable when it comes to the design and operation of software systems that process PII. This entails making transparent privacy claims, applying methodical techniques to privacy assessment, and being upfront about the considerations made for consumer privacy. By putting the needs of the consumer first when it comes to privacy issues, the ultimate objective is to gain consumer trust, succeed commercially, adhere to legal and regulatory obligations, and promote innovation.
2. Institutionalization and accountability: Privacy by design places a strong emphasis on the consumer perspective when institutionalizing privacy principles across the ecosystem. Early in the lifecycle process, as well as throughout, the consumer’s behavior with the product(s) and their privacy demands are taken into account. By doing so, judgements pertaining to consumer privacy demands will not only be more standardized and methodical but also turn into a functional requirement alongside the interests of other stakeholders.
3. Ecosystem and lifecycle: By taking into account all pertinent aspects, including those outside the control of a particular business or component, this strategy promotes both consumer protection and privacy. Regardless of whether they are tangible items or intangible services like software as a service, this strategy may be used for all products and services that involve personal information (PII). Regardless of the location or maturity level of the company, the framework is designed to be flexible enough to meet their needs.

What Does ISO 31700 Mean for Privacy and Protection of Consumer Information?  

Consumers are more informed and concerned than ever about data privacy nowadays. Organizations are under pressure to offer ethical privacy frameworks because of their desire to make informed purchases. The objective of ISO 31700 is to provide customers with more control over their privacy rights and better manage their data over the course of the data’s lifecycle. 

Companies that process personal data must adhere to the standard, including those that must follow GDPR privacy requirements, which call for firms to do routine risk assessments. Because it offers instructions on detecting and evaluating risks in numerous domains, including cybersecurity and privacy, the ISO 31700 framework is useful for this task. 

How Tsaaro can help? 

In terms of privacy protection, the ISO 31700 standard represents progress. It ensures that businesses and organizations take consumer privacy into account when designing their goods and services. Platforms like Tsaaro can also assist your company in adhering to all pertinent rules and legislation pertaining to data privacy protection. 

Tsaaro’s cutting-edge, data-driven compliance solutions assist businesses in securing all of their sensitive data, implementing privacy by design, supporting their privacy framework, and achieving compliance at scale. By incorporating ISO 31700, businesses can avoid noncompliance fines, pricey data breaches, reputational damage, and other expensive liabilities. To see how Tsaaro can assist you in meeting ISO 31700 regulations, protecting extremely sensitive information, and gaining customer trust, schedule a demo. 

Without the assistance of specialists and professionals, your business cannot protect itself from data breach activities, making it an easy target for scammers. We will let you know what has to be fixed and how, and take care of the implementation. Get in touch with us at info@tsaaro.com to know about our services.Take the first step towards a secure your organization’s data by scheduling a call with our privacy expert team at Tsaaro Solutions today.