Thirty years ago, the concept of a Data Protection Officer role was unheard of for most companies. Fast forward to the year 2020, with more consumer data and privacy policies than has ever been seen before, the role of a Data Protection Officer has become crucial for the 21st century organization.
The introduction of policies such as the EU GDPR and the CCPA have increased the importance of data protection over the last few years, with more and more companies recognizing the need for someone to take the lead on data protection from a company standpoint.
As data protection regulations continue to evolve, and as companies continue to increase their global reach, there is a greater need for monitoring and compliance. Consumers are more willing to provide their personal data to companies through online purchasing, increasing the amount of data companies are responsible for keeping safe. Hence, the need for an employee dedicated to the protection of this data.
Data protection requires a blend of technology and human power. Employees should be trained and empowered to take ownership and responsibility of data protection and governance, while technology tools help to automate the process of data protection. In order to engrain data protection into a company, a protection officer must plan and oversee exactly what the protection plan will look like.
The introduction of a Data Protection Officer role creates a link between the hands-on security protection team and the executive level employees, helping to push data security higher up the priority list for company leaders. With the constant changes to privacy policies in different areas of the world, a Data Protection Officer acts as a guide to help navigate this regulatory landscape.
Find out more about the increasing importance of data protection in this article.