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 […]
Category: Blockchain
GDPR’s Right to be Forgotten in Blockchain: it’s not black and white.
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. […]
Blockchain & DLT under the GDPR explained to the European Commission
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 […]
Is total privacy GDPR compliant? Zcash report shows how “Privacy by Design” handling of personal data gets us close.
Last week, Forbes examined the promise of privacy in P4 protocol in the article (“Zcash Out To Prove Privacy Is Key To Crypto Adoption With GDPR-Complying Use Cases” by Darryn Pollock). Pollock’s article included a link to TechGDPR’s Zcash GDPR assessment. In addition to the article in Forbes, ZCash has published its own statement, as […]
The GDPR + Blockchain: Reflecting back and looking ahead
Looking back, 2018 was a year full of important developments, both for privacy and blockchain – the two main areas of TechGDPR’s specialisation. In privacy, the GDPR went into effect, we paid careful attention as the first fines were issued, and the very first guidance on blockchain came out. In blockchain, a lot of guidance […]
GDPR, Blockchain, and the Principles of Privacy by Design
Since the introduction of the GDPR we have dealt with many aspects of the regulation. What has emerged as one of the most interesting areas for me to work on is Privacy by Design (or “Data Protection by Design and by Default,” in the language of the GDPR). The simple requirement to implement privacy from […]
The Limits of Blockchain Privacy and the GDPR
There are many reasons why people are excited about the possibilities of blockchain technology—from decentralized networks to the removal of middlemen—but the most popular reason is the appeal of privacy. The myth that blockchain is immune to privacy breaches, however, is quickly unraveling. Those who feel protected solely because they’re putting today’s most disruptive form […]
Blocks Ascending: The GDPR Checklist for Any Blockchain Project
The rise of blockchain technology, and its accompanying data-centric enterprises, are starting to impact how technology around the world is regulated. From China cracking down on ICOs, to new data privacy laws in California, to countries attracting entire crypto-economies to their shores, the global data privacy landscape is complex and constantly in flux. Such conditions can tempt startup […]
How Countries are Creating Blockchain Economies
Since the spring, there has been a boom in the number of countries looking to capitalize on the blockchain craze. Around the same time, the European Union issued the General Data Privacy Regulations (GDPR), which would place regulations on blockchain technology. However, GDPR does not perfectly encompass blockchain. Nevertheless, these countries are advocating for blockchain […]
The Bittersweet Relationship Between Blockchain and GDPR
With the GDPR now in full effect, improving upon the currently bittersweet regulatory relationship between Brussels and blockchain networks is critical. Thanks to its unique structural advantages and decentralized framework, blockchain technology is a true enabler of innovation worldwide, but this makes its pragmatic regulation an especially tricky task. While advising the European Commision and […]
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