Privacy by Design

Privacy by Design is a holistic framework for integrating data protection into products, services, and system designs by default. It is also a requirement under numerous privacy regulations. This strategic approach enables organizations to establish a privacy program that is adaptable and compliant. While implementation may vary depending on an organization’s specific context, certain core elements remain non-negotiable when applying the principles of Privacy by Design.

The Seven Foundational Principles of Privacy by Design

At the core of the Privacy by Design framework are seven foundational principles, originally developed by Dr. Ann Cavoukian, former Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, Canada (click here to read more about Dr. Cavoukian’s work). These principles serve as a comprehensive guide for embedding privacy into organizational practices and technical systems:

1. Proactive Not Reactive; Preventative Not Remedial
   Privacy by Design emphasizes the anticipation and prevention of privacy risks before they occur, rather than attempting to remedy issues after the fact.
2. Privacy as the Default
   Personal data must be automatically protected in any system or process. This means that no user intervention is required to safeguard personal information, aligning with internationally recognized privacy principles.
3. Privacy Embedded into Design
   Privacy considerations must be integrated directly into the design and architecture of information systems and business processes. All new initiatives should be assessed to ensure they uphold the highest standards of data protection.
4. Full Functionality; Positive-Sum, Not Zero-Sum
   The framework rejects the notion of trade-offs between privacy and other organizational objectives. It promotes solutions that enable both privacy and functionality to coexist in a mutually beneficial manner.
5. End-to-End Security & Lifecycle Protection
   Privacy by Design mandates security measures that protect personal data throughout its entire lifecycle—from the point of collection through to its secure disposal.
6. Visibility and Transparency
   Privacy policies and operations must remain transparent to users and subject to external verification. Organizations should clearly communicate their data handling practices and demonstrate accountability in their privacy management.
7. Respect for User Privacy
   Privacy practices must prioritize the individual. This includes offering clear and accessible choices, implementing privacy-friendly defaults, and ensuring user agency and consent are always respected.

Privacy by Design at the CES Privacy Center

The CES Privacy Center takes a proactive approach to privacy, embedding it into every stage of design and decision-making. Here is how that is made possible:

1. Conducting Consultations
   We work with teams across CES campuses from the start of a project to understand their needs and identify potential privacy risks.
2. Embedding Privacy in Design
   We help embed privacy principles, mitigate risk, and increase trust and data quality through the implementation of privacy by design in projects, processes, platforms.
3. Partnering to Protect Data
   Our Privacy Officers work directly with campus organizations to assess, prevent, and mitigate privacy risks at each institution.

These practices support organizations across CES by strengthening their understanding of privacy and encouraging the continued implementation of the seven principles of Privacy by Design.

Other Applications of Privacy by Design

The following examples illustrate how leading organizations have operationalized Privacy by Design to strengthen trust, achieve compliance, and deliver innovative solutions:

Apple – App Tracking Transparency (ATT):
With the release of iOS 14.5, Apple implemented a policy requiring all apps to obtain explicit user consent before tracking their activity across other apps and websites. This significant policy change positioned privacy as the default and reinforced user autonomy, embodying both user-centric and proactive privacy practices.

Signal – End-to-End Encrypted Messaging:
Signal is a messaging application built with privacy in mind. It employs end-to-end encryption by default and limits the collection of user metadata. This means user messages cannot be accessed by Signal or other third parties.

DuckDuckGo – Privacy-First Search Engine:DuckDuckGo is a search engine that does not track users, collect personal data, or retain search histories. In contrast to traditional search engines, it delivers uniform search results to all users and actively blocks hidden third-party trackers through its browser extension and mobile applications.

These examples underscore how privacy is not an obstacle to usability, innovation, or operational goals. Privacy by Design demonstrates that when privacy is treated as a core design requirement, it enhances organizational integrity, user trust, and the quality of the product or service.