WILL NEW DATA PROTECTION LAWS SLOW DOWN THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION?

Data protection laws are changing around the world and becoming increasingly stringent to protect the rights of individuals in an era when more and more activities are digitally personalised. The European Union enacted the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May 2018 and other countries are preparing similar regulations. But will these laws slow down the digital revolution, or will they actually provide an opportunity for online business by forcing it to adopt a more robust and clearer basis for digital services?

At the UFI Global Congress in November 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa, Gunnar Heinrich (CEO adventics & Scan2Lead) gave a presentation on “Digital Disruption” together with his colleagues from the Digital Innovation Committee Stephan Forseilles (easyfairs) and Matthias Tesi Baur (MBB-Media). Various controversial and thought-provoking topics were presented to the audience, stimulating a lively debate on the pros and cons of each topic.

Some in the audience think that the digital revolution will be slowed down because the trade fair industry is completely based on data – and data protection laws have a big impact on this. The music industry was mentioned as an example, whose business model was changed almost overnight by data and digital-related laws.

Others, however, say that such laws take a long time before they can really be enforced. Some even see the GDPR as an opportunity rather than a threat, as new regulations ensure that business can be conducted on a more credible basis and enable a more transparent relationship with customers and prospects.

Overall, over 65% of the audience disagreed with the theory that data protection laws would slow down the digital revolution, while only ~33% see the new regulations as a potential risk.

This article is based on Matthias (Tesi) Baur’s contribution “Will new privacy laws slow down the digital revolution? Let’s discuss.” in the UFI Digital Innovation group on LinkedIn. Stay in touch and up to date with digital innovations in the exhibition industry.

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