The Governance of Privacy: Privacy as Process: The Need for Resilient Governance

We can hardly underestimate the importance of privacy in our data-driven world. Privacy breaches are not just about disclosing information. Personal data is used to profile and manipulate us - sometimes on such a large scale that it affects society as a whole. What can governments do to protect our privacy?

In The Governance of Privacy Hans de Bruijn first analyses the complexity of the governance challenge, using the metaphor of a journey. At the start, users have strong incentives to share data. Harvested data continue the journey that might lead to a privacy breach, but not necessarily - it can also lead to highly valued services. That is why both preparedness at the start of the journey and resilience during the journey are crucial to privacy protection.

The book then explores three strategies to deal with governments, the market, and society. Governments can use the power of the law; they can exploit the power of the market by stimulating companies to compete on privacy; and they can empower society, strengthening its resilience in a data-driven world.

Hans de Bruijn is professor of Governance at Delft University of Technology and visiting professor at Politecnico di Milano.