Why Your Organization Needs Privacy As A Service

As cloud-based technology infrastructure has become the norm and not the exception, XaaS (anything-as-a-service) terms such as software-as-a-service (SaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS), and infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) are now part of everyday technology terminology. XaaS is based on the recognition that setting up, running, and maintaining in-house the infrastructure, systems, processes, and policies, is less efficient than running them from the cloud. It’s not surprising that privacy-as-a-service is now a thing and increasingly looked upon as a smart alternative for managing privacy risks. Privacy-as-a-service is also referred to as data-privacy-as-a-service (DPaaS) to avoid confusion with the more established acronym for platform-as-a-service.

Understanding privacy-as-a-service

Unlike most other XaaS, DPaaS can have a technology and non-technology component. On the technology side, DPaaS may comprise a SaaS platform where compliance software, consent management, and disclosure notices are combined to give individuals or organizations a managed privacy service that improves transparency and user control.
On the non-technology end, an organization may contract third-party privacy experts that serve as a data protection officer and provide guidance on privacy matters through privacy impact assessments and privacy by design. Note that a privacy-as-a-service solution can be technology only or non-technology only. It doesn’t have to have both.

Data privacy more important than ever

Data privacy has always been a big deal, but the ubiquity of information technology in the workplace and at home has brought privacy into sharper focus than ever before. This has been further compounded by the growing sophistication of cyberattacks that threaten the confidentiality of user information. Now consumers, regulators, shareholders, and other stakeholders have high expectations of businesses in the protection of user data.

Many organizations and individuals have come to the realization that they cannot continue with their current privacy protection model if they want to adhere to the highest standards of privacy compliance. The digital footprint of an organization or individual is complicated, thus making it increasingly difficult to keep track of privacy risks manually. One could have user accounts on various platforms, making managing and keeping track of their privacy concerns a precarious endeavor. Privacy-as-a-service is therefore on track to be the preferred approach to privacy management .