Amendments to the Montana Consumer Data Privacy Act Bring Big Changes to Big Sky Country
On May 8, Montana Governor Gianforte signed SB 297, amending the Montana Consumer Data Privacy Act (MCDPA). This amendment was sponsored by Senator Zolnikov, who also championed the underlying law’s enactment in 2023. Much has changed in the state privacy law landscape since the MCDPA was first enacted, and SB 297 incorporates elements of further […]
Consent for Processing Personal Data in the Age of AI: Key Updates Across Asia-Pacific
This Issue Brief summarizes key developments in data protection laws across the Asia-Pacific region since 2022, when the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) and the Asian Business Law Institute (ABLI) published a series of reports examining 14 jurisdictions in the region. We found that while many offer alternative legal bases for data processing, consent remains […]
The Curse of Dimensionality: De-identification Challenges in the Sharing of Highly Dimensional Datasets
The 2006 release by AOL of search queries linked to individual users and the re-identification of some of those users is one of the best known privacy disasters in internet history. Less well known is that AOL had released the data to meet intense demand from academic researchers who saw this valuable data set as essential […]
Africa
The FPF Africa Team FPF Africa, led by Mercy King’ori, focuses on fostering responsible data practices, driving innovation, and promoting privacy protections through collaborative partnerships, local expertise, and regionally grounded research to shape Africa’s digital future. Featured FPF Africa Council Membership Join the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF), a leading global non-profit organization shaping privacy […]
5 Ways to Be a Top Dog in Data Privacy
Data Privacy Day, or Data Protection Day in Europe, is recognized annually on January 28 to mark the anniversary of Convention 108, the first binding international treaty to protect personal data. To raise awareness for the day and promote best practices for data privacy, we’ve partnered with Snap to create a Data Privacy Day Snapchat […]
What to Expect in Global Privacy in 2025
Next year, in 2026, we will celebrate a decade after the adoption of the GDPR, a law with an unprecedented regulatory impact around the world, from California to Brazil, across the African continent, to India, to China, and everywhere in between. The field of data protection and privacy has become undeniably global, with GDPR-inspired laws […]
FPF’s Year in Review 2024
With contributions from Judy Wang, Communications Intern 2024 was a landmark year for the Future of Privacy Forum, as we continued to grow our privacy leadership through research and analysis, domestic and global meetings, expert testimony, and more – all while commemorating our 15th anniversary. Expanding our AI Footprint While 2023 was the year of […]
Insights from the Second Japan Privacy Symposium: Global Data Protection Authorities Discuss Their 2025 Priorities, from AI, to Cross-Regulatory Collaboration
The Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) hosted the Second Japan Privacy Symposium (Symposium) in Tokyo on November 15, 2024. The Symposium brought together leading data protection authorities (DPAs) from around the world to discuss pressing issues in privacy and data governance. The Symposium featured in-depth discussions on international collaboration, artificial intelligence (AI) governance, and the […]
History of the FPF Smart Places Initiative
As of December 31, 2024, the Future of Privacy Forum will retire and no longer support the Smart Places Self-Regulatory Program, including the MAC Address Opt-Out previously hosted at www.smart-places.org. Read on to learn more about the history and the future of this initiative. Brief History of Smart Places The Smart Places Opt-Out and Code […]
Five Big Questions (and Zero Predictions) for the U.S. State Privacy Landscape in 2025
In the enduring absence of a comprehensive national framework governing the collection, use, and transfer of personal data, state-level activity on privacy legislation has been on a consistent upward trend since the enactment of the California Consumer Privacy Act in 2018. With all 50 U.S. states scheduled to be in session in 2025, stakeholders are […]