Response to the GDPR-relevant points in the German Blockchain Strategy of September 2019
Sunday September 29th, 2019 by Silvan Jongerius
On September 12, the German Federal Ministry of Economy and Energy, and the German Federal Ministry of Finance published the German Federal Blockchain Strategy (German, PDF). After analysing the statements relating to Data Protection and GDPR, here is some high level response to the key points. Blockchain Strategy Implementation Principles [p5] “IT-Sicherheit und Datenschutz […]
GDPR compliant products debunked: it’s all about HOW you use it
Thursday September 26th, 2019 by Silvan Jongerius
I’ve seen this a bit too often lately: products that qualify themselves as ‘GDPR compliant’, falsely leaving the impression that by using that product, an organisation will be GDPR compliant. In particular some blockchain products like to label themselves as ‘GDPR compliant blockchain’ – as in the public opinion there are massive problems surrounding blockchain […]
GDPR’s Right to be Forgotten in Blockchain: it’s not black and white.
Tuesday August 13th, 2019 by Silvan Jongerius
There have been many discussions about the big problem of the right to be forgotten (right to erasure, Article 17) under the GDPR. As blockchain generally is immutable, and the GDPR requires personal data to be deleted. Many people therefor conclude that it is impossible to store any kind of personal data on a blockchain. […]
What is the difference between personally identifiable information (PII) and personal data?
Thursday June 27th, 2019 by Malia Thuret-Benoist
When organisations seek to protect their user’s data, it is necessary that they understand the data they need to safeguard. Personal data, in the context of GDPR, covers a much wider range of information than personally identifiable information (PII), commonly used in North America. In other words, while all PII is considered personal data, not all […]
Personal data and cold calling under the GDPR
Tuesday June 25th, 2019 by Alex Carroll
A personal data focused analysis of what is wrong with cold calling someone. And how to make it right. Cold calling individuals is like throwing a rock in a pond with the hope of catching a fish. Obviously, the success rate is high enough to justify manning the phone with a single person all the […]
Blockchain & DLT under the GDPR explained to the European Commission
Tuesday June 4th, 2019 by Silvan Jongerius
Today, I had the opportunity to present the key issues of Blockchain & DLT under the GDPR to a delegation of the European Commission in Berlin. Below is a summarised version of the issues I presented. 1. Is the Opinion 05/2014 by Working Party 29 still valid? Article 29 Working Party issued comprehensive guidance on […]
One year of GDPR: GDPR enforcement and awareness
Saturday May 25th, 2019 by Malia Thuret-Benoist
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force after years of debate and preparation. The European Commission started in January 2012 to set out plans for data protection reform across the European Union in order to make Europe ‘fit for the digital age’. Approved by the European Parliament in April 2016, the legislation came […]
Our first open GDPR Canvas workshop
Tuesday May 21st, 2019 by Malia Thuret-Benoist
On Thursday May 16th 2019, TechGDPR hosted it’s first open GDPR Canvas workshop: ‘Starting GDPR compliance with the GDPR Canvas’, for members of Factory Berlin. The GDPR Canvas Workshop is a workshop that is normally delivered within a team or organisation, but for this workshop we wanted to gain experience with the open format with […]
WiFi-Tracking and Retail Analytics under the GDPR
Monday April 8th, 2019 by Silvan Jongerius
WiFi-tracking is used for many purposes, including producing heat-maps of spaces, counting passers-by and analyzing people movement and visits. This can be extremely useful for businesses to better understand the use of their space and how to optimize this, and it is already in wide use in shopping malls, airports and hotels all around the […]
How to develop Artificial Intelligence that is GDPR-friendly
Thursday February 28th, 2019 by Anamika Ved (guest post)
GDPR coming into effect coincides with the more widespread adoption of artificial intelligence as the technology becomes embedded in more and more enterprise applications. There is a palpable excitement around AI for its potential to revolutionize seemingly every facet of every industry. Studies reveal that 80% of executives believe AI boosts productivity. In the immediate […]