The process which underpins the pseudonymisation of data is quite technical, but it’s comparable to when an author writes a book under a pseudonym. The crux is that no one knows who is behind that pseudonym. When personal data is made unrecognisable in that way, organisations can use it to conduct valuable research without running the risk of violating the privacy of those concerned.
The right to not feel spied on, whether in your own home or digitally, is a significant fundamental right. Privacy extends beyond legislation. We not only need to look at what’s permitted but also at what we as a society consider desirable or not when it comes to how our data is used.
A year has passed since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into full effect. So where are we now, what are the most important lessons learned for organisations that process personal data and what smart solutions have become available?
The introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has led to privacy becoming a hot topic. Organisations have been working on taking appropriate measures and, in that context, the term ‘pseudonymisation’ is popping up more and more. But what exactly is pseudonymisation?
The new privacy legislation—the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)—has been in force since 25 May 2018. This law has far-reaching implications for both the public and private sectors. The need for data analysis has grown significantly in recent years, and the added value of making management decisions based on the results of data analysis has become increasingly evident. So the big question is: How do you make data analysis possible under the new privacy legislation?
I’ve had the opportunity of discussing this question numerous times in recent years. Nowadays, though, I start with a counter-question: “Why is that relevant?” In almost every instance, the person posing the question seems to be seeking confirmation that anonymised data isn’t covered by privacy legislation, in contrast to pseudonymised data.
By now, everyone’s aware of it: the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) took effect on 25 May 2018. In my work as a privacy consultant, I’m seeing many organisations struggling to take the right measures. Besides that, one of their major challenges appears to be this: how do you ensure that everyone in the organisation adheres to the measures and—above all—continues to do so? The vast majority of employees have enough on their hands just staying on top of their own tasks and processes. As a result, there isn’t enough time and attention left for taking every privacy rule into account.
Pseudonymisation in an advanced analytics platform30 October 2015 - 17:09
Combatting fraud by filtering data30 October 2015 - 17:07
Pseudonymisation of movement profiles21 October 2015 - 15:47
Pseudonymisation service for traffic research21 October 2015 - 15:43
Social research using de-identified data21 October 2015 - 15:36
Pseudonymisation of number plates21 October 2015 - 13:38