Privacy by Design

Privacy by Design is a set of principles and best practices that emphasizes the proactive protection of personal information and data. It is based on the idea that privacy can be embedded in products, services and processes rather than added as an afterthought. In other words, privacy should be designed into technology from the start, rather than being an afterthought or bolted on once the product has been designed.

Privacy by Design was first articulated by Ann Cavoukian, who served as Information and Privacy Commissioner for Ontario from 1997 to 2014. She developed the concept in 2010 with the release of her seminal report "Privacy by Design: The 7 Foundational Principles."

Privacy by Design Principles

The seven foundational principles of Privacy by Design are:

• Default to Privacy
• Proactive, not Reactive
• Respect for Context
• Visibility and Transparency
• Secure by Design
• Accountability for Actionable Data (Data Minimization)
• Enforcement