The Information Technology and
Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a technology policy think tank,
today released the following statement from ITIF President
Robert D. Atkinson, who expressed deep regret about the EU
Parliament’s April 14 approval of Europe’s new general data
protection regulation (GDPR):
History will likely show that Europe’s new
data protection regulation was a mistake. While the world is in
the process of taking a giant step forward by marshaling the
power of big data and the Internet of Things to grow the economy,
improve governance, and solve pressing social problems, European
policymakers have chosen to take two giant steps backward.
The new regulation’s intent may have been to
give citizens control of their personal data, but its provisions
will be onerous in practice—like trying to sail with an anchor
overboard. Large, medium-sized, and small businesses,
entrepreneurs, civil society groups, and government all will
have an unduly hard time using data to start new ventures,
expand well-established ones, or enrich European citizens’ lives
by discovering solutions to challenges in health care, education,
or the environment.
The new regulation should not be the last
word on these issues. European policymakers have until 2018,
when the law comes into force, to turn in a new direction. Now
is the time to get started working on a new framework that is
actually appropriate for a modern data economy.