Privacy-Enhancing Technologies: Way Out Or Way On?

As Europe’s focus shifts to the new data protection provisions and clarifications in the digital omnibus, privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) are emerging as one of the fastest-growing markets in data protection. They can safeguard privacy standards and unlock opportunities for innovation and growth. Yet, there is still too little data on their adoption and impact to fully move on from the idea of PETs as a compliance shield rather than a strategic innovation tool. Are PETs a way around privacy rules or an important way forward for Europe’s competitiveness? What are the bottlenecks to be removed and the incentives to be introduced for the PETs ecosystem to flourish and effectively drive growth while protecting Europeans’ personal data?

To answer these important questions, a frank discussion between top voices from policy, civil society and industry must be the starting point. In this spirit, the Lisbon Council convened the High-Level Working Lunch on ‘Privacy-Enhancing Technologies in Digital Advertising,’ an open conversation on the next policy steps for PETs and their impact on safety, trust and effectiveness.

Robin de Wouters, director general, Federation of European Data and Marketing (FEDMA), opened the session by presenting a new study based on a survey of marketers and showcasing PETs in action. High-level participants included Peter Craddock, partner, Keller and Heckman; Natascha Gerlach, director of privacy policy, Centre for Information Policy Leadership; Lorelien Hoet, director, European Union government affairs, Microsoft; Bjoern Juretzki, head of unit, data policy and innovation, directorate general for communications networks, content and technology, European Commission; Stefano Rossetti, senior legal officer, digital policy, The European Consumer Organisation; Ena Salihovic, senior lead, public affairs and European Union tech, Zalando; Tasos Stampelos, head, European Union policy, Mozilla; Ninon Vagner, legal director, IAB Europe; Rob van Eijk, senior fellow, Future of Privacy Forum; and Isabelle Vereecken, head of unit, European Data Protection Board.