Personal data has become one of the most valuable resources in the modern technology industry. Every time people use a smartphone, search the internet, create an account, shop online, use a social media platform, or interact with an artificial intelligence service, they may generate information that companies can collect and process.
For years, technology companies have built services around this data. Information about location, browsing activity, purchases, preferences, devices, and online behavior can be used to provide personalized services, improve products, measure advertising, and develop new technologies.
However, privacy regulation is changing. Governments and regulators are increasingly asking technology companies to provide greater transparency, give users more control over personal information, and take additional steps when processing sensitive data.
In 2026, this trend is particularly visible in Europe and the United States. The European Union continues to enforce the General Data Protection Regulation, while new developments involving artificial intelligence and digital platforms are adding further requirements. In the United States, privacy rules continue to develop at the state level rather than through one comprehensive federal privacy law.
These changes are affecting how companies collect, store, share, and use user information.
Why Privacy Rules Are Changing
Technology has developed much faster than many traditional privacy regulations.
Smartphones, cloud computing, connected devices, artificial intelligence, facial recognition, location tracking, and personalized advertising have created new ways to process personal information.
The European Data Protection Board notes that technologies such as artificial intelligence, facial recognition, connected vehicles, and the Internet of Things often rely heavily on personal data while also creating new privacy and security challenges.
As these technologies become more common, regulators are paying closer attention to how personal information is collected and what companies do with it.
The goal of newer privacy requirements is generally to make data processing more transparent and give individuals greater control over information about them.
What Counts as Personal Data?
Personal data is broader than many people realize.
Under the GDPR, personal data includes information related to an identified or identifiable living person. Information that appears harmless on its own can also become personal data when combined with other information that can identify an individual.
This can include names, email addresses, location information, online identifiers, device information, and other details connected to an identifiable person.
Some forms of data can be particularly sensitive because they may reveal information about a person’s health, identity, beliefs, or other personal characteristics.
This is why modern privacy rules increasingly focus not only on whether data is collected, but also on why it is collected, how it is processed, and who can access it.
The GDPR Continues to Shape Privacy Expectations
The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation remains one of the most important privacy frameworks in the world.
The European Commission marked ten years since the GDPR entered into force in May 2026 and highlighted rights that allow people to understand what data is collected, why it is collected, and who it is shared with. People can also request access to their information, ask for corrections or deletion, and withdraw consent in situations where consent is the legal basis for processing.
These requirements have affected technology companies around the world because companies serving people in the European Union may need to comply with GDPR requirements even when the company itself is based elsewhere.
As a result, European privacy rules have influenced the design of websites, apps, advertising systems, account controls, and data-management processes.
Companies Face Greater Transparency Requirements
One of the biggest changes in privacy regulation is the growing emphasis on transparency.
Companies are expected to explain what information they collect and how that information is used.
This can affect privacy notices, consent systems, account settings, advertising controls, and data-sharing disclosures.
The basic idea is that users should not have to completely guess what happens to their personal information after they create an account or use a digital service.
However, transparency is not always simple.
Technology companies often operate complex systems involving advertising partners, cloud providers, analytics services, security systems, and other third parties. Explaining these relationships in a way that ordinary users can understand remains a major challenge.
More Attention on Location Data
Location information is becoming one of the most closely examined categories of personal data.
A person’s location can reveal where they live, work, travel, shop, worship, or spend their free time. When collected over long periods, location information can create a detailed picture of someone’s behavior.
A major example emerged in September 2026 when Ireland’s Data Protection Commission fined Google €403 million over its handling of location data between 2018 and 2020. The regulator found problems involving Google’s Web & App Activity, Location History, and Location Accuracy features. Google said the case concerned older policies and pointed to changes it has since made, including improved controls and data deletion options.
The case demonstrates why companies are under pressure to make location settings clearer and provide users with meaningful control.
AI Is Creating New Privacy Questions
Artificial intelligence has introduced another major privacy challenge.
AI systems can process enormous amounts of information, and companies may use data for training, personalization, safety, testing, or improving services.
This creates questions about what information can be used, whether people understand how their data is being processed, and how sensitive information should be protected.
The European Union is addressing some of these issues through its broader AI regulatory framework.
In July 2026, the European Commission published guidance concerning transparency obligations under the AI Act. These requirements include informing people when they are directly interacting with certain AI systems and applying machine-readable markings to certain AI-generated or manipulated content.
The development of AI therefore means privacy regulation is no longer focused only on websites and databases. It increasingly has to address automated systems that can analyze and generate information.
Privacy and AI Training
One of the more complicated questions is whether personal information can be used when developing AI models.
Companies may need large amounts of data to develop and test advanced systems, but personal information creates additional legal and ethical considerations.
The European Commission’s current digital policy work includes efforts to clarify how personal data should be handled when developing AI systems and models.
This does not mean that all AI training is automatically prohibited.
Instead, companies need to understand which rules apply to the data they use, the purpose of processing, the legal basis for that processing, and the protections applied to individuals.
New Privacy Rules in the United States
The United States has taken a different approach from the European Union.
Instead of one comprehensive federal privacy law covering all consumer data, the United States has developed a growing collection of state-level privacy laws.
By 2026, numerous states had enacted comprehensive consumer privacy laws, creating new rights for consumers and new obligations for businesses.
This creates a complicated situation for companies operating nationwide.
A business may have to determine which state laws apply to particular users and what rights those users have.
Different states can also impose different requirements concerning sensitive information, targeted advertising, data deletion, opt-out mechanisms, risk assessments, and automated decision-making.
California Continues to Influence Privacy Regulation
California remains particularly important in the American privacy landscape.
The state has developed a dedicated privacy regulatory system and continues to introduce rules concerning areas such as automated decision-making, risk assessments, cybersecurity, and data brokers.
IAPP reported that several California privacy measures became applicable in 2026, including requirements connected with automated decision-making technology, risk assessments, cybersecurity audits, and data-broker deletion requests.
For technology companies, California’s rules can have an impact well beyond the state because large companies often design privacy systems for millions of users rather than creating entirely separate systems for every jurisdiction.
More Consumer Control Over Personal Information
Many modern privacy laws give consumers greater control over their data.
Depending on the applicable law, users may have rights to access their information, correct inaccurate data, request deletion, opt out of certain forms of data processing, or limit the use of sensitive information.
The exact rights and procedures vary by jurisdiction.
This means companies increasingly need systems capable of receiving and processing privacy requests.
A company may need to identify the user, locate relevant information across multiple systems, determine which legal requirements apply, and respond within a specified period.
For large technology companies, this can require significant technical infrastructure.
Data Deletion Is Becoming More Important
The right to request deletion is another area receiving attention.
Deleting information is not always as simple as pressing a button.
User information may exist in databases, backups, analytics systems, advertising platforms, customer-support tools, or third-party services.
Companies therefore need to understand where personal information is stored and how it moves through their systems.
Modern privacy compliance increasingly requires organizations to have a clear data inventory and appropriate procedures for responding to deletion requests.
Targeted Advertising Faces More Scrutiny
Online advertising has traditionally depended heavily on user data.
Companies can use information about browsing behavior, interests, location, and interactions to provide personalized advertisements.
Privacy rules are increasingly examining these practices.
Some regulations give consumers additional choices regarding targeted advertising or require businesses to recognize certain opt-out signals.
The changes do not necessarily eliminate personalized advertising, but they can require companies to explain their practices more clearly and provide users with additional control.
This could influence how websites, mobile applications, advertising networks, and social platforms design their privacy settings.
Children’s Data Gets Special Attention
Children’s privacy is another major area of regulatory attention.
Children may not fully understand how online services collect or use personal information, making additional protections important.
Recent legal action against technology companies shows that regulators continue to focus on how children’s data is handled.
In September 2026, a U.S. federal judge signaled concerns about part of a proposed $400 million privacy settlement involving TikTok and ByteDance. The case involves allegations concerning the collection of data from children under 13 without appropriate parental consent. TikTok has said it has made changes to its privacy and age-verification systems.
The case demonstrates that children’s privacy remains an active regulatory issue.
Privacy and Social Media
Social media companies collect large amounts of information because their platforms depend on user accounts, interactions, advertising, recommendations, and content.
Privacy regulation can therefore have a major impact on social networks.
In August 2026, Meta agreed to a settlement of up to $16.68 billion with 29 U.S. states concerning allegations involving children, platform design, and privacy-related claims. Meta denied wrongdoing and planned to appeal aspects of the legal actions.
The broader trend is clear: regulators and governments are paying closer attention to how technology platforms treat younger users and how personal information is handled.
Smart Devices Create New Privacy Challenges
Privacy concerns are also moving beyond phones and computers.
Smart speakers, cameras, watches, connected cars, smart home devices, and wearable technology can collect information about people’s physical environments and activities.
Smart glasses are an example of how new hardware can create unexpected privacy questions.
In September 2026, French authorities increased scrutiny of smart glasses following concerns about discreet recording and privacy. The issue highlights the difficulty of informing people when they may be recorded by a device that looks similar to ordinary glasses.
As connected devices become smaller and more powerful, privacy rules may need to address situations that were difficult to imagine when earlier regulations were created.
Companies Are Changing Their Privacy Practices
New rules are pushing technology companies to reconsider how they handle personal information.
Some companies are giving users more privacy controls, while others are reducing the amount of data they retain or changing how information is processed.
Google, for example, said following the Irish location-data case that it had introduced enhanced user controls, automatic deletion options, and less precise location data in some situations.
These changes demonstrate how regulatory pressure can lead to modifications in product design.
Privacy is increasingly becoming part of the engineering process rather than something handled only by legal departments.
Privacy by Design Is Becoming More Important
Privacy by design means considering data protection when a product or service is being developed instead of adding privacy controls after the system is already finished.
Developers may need to think about how much information a feature actually requires.
For example, an application may not need a user’s exact location if an approximate location is sufficient.
Similarly, a service may not need to store information indefinitely if it can provide the same functionality while automatically deleting older records.
Reducing unnecessary data collection can lower both privacy risks and security risks.
Data Security and Privacy Are Connected
Privacy and cybersecurity are closely related but are not exactly the same.
Privacy focuses on how personal information is collected, used, shared, and controlled.
Security focuses on protecting information against unauthorized access, theft, alteration, or destruction.
A company can have a clear privacy policy and still suffer a serious data breach if its security systems are weak.
For this reason, modern privacy compliance often requires organizations to consider cybersecurity as part of their broader data protection strategy.
The Cost of Compliance Is Increasing
Privacy compliance can be expensive, particularly for large technology companies.
Businesses may need privacy specialists, lawyers, security professionals, engineers, compliance teams, and new software systems.
Companies may also need to change products and databases to support user requests and regulatory requirements.
For smaller businesses, the cost can be especially challenging.
At the same time, regulators are increasingly trying to create clearer and more proportionate requirements. The European Union’s 2026 AI Omnibus, for example, includes measures intended to simplify implementation while maintaining safeguards for fundamental rights.
Privacy Rules Can Affect Product Design
Regulation can influence the design of technology products.
Privacy settings may need to become easier to find.
Consent screens may need clearer explanations.
Data-sharing options may need additional controls.
AI systems may need transparency features.
Advertising platforms may need new opt-out mechanisms.
These changes can affect the user experience directly.
Some consumers may see more privacy notifications and settings, while others may benefit from greater control without noticing the regulatory changes happening behind the scenes.
Technology Companies Face a More Complicated Regulatory Environment
One of the biggest challenges for global technology companies is that privacy rules differ between countries and regions.
A company may have customers in Europe, the United States, Asia, and other parts of the world.
Each market can have different requirements.
A company therefore needs to determine which rules apply to each user and how its services should operate in different jurisdictions.
The U.S. state-level approach makes this particularly complicated because requirements can differ from one state to another.
What These Changes Mean for Users
For ordinary users, stronger privacy rules can provide more control over personal information.
People may have more opportunities to access their data, delete information, limit certain processing activities, or understand how companies use their information.
However, privacy laws do not automatically guarantee complete privacy.
Users still need to pay attention to account settings, permissions, privacy controls, and the information they voluntarily provide.
Regulation can create rights and obligations, but everyday privacy also depends on how digital services are used.
What Users Should Watch For
Privacy settings are becoming more important as technology companies collect information from more devices and services.
Users should pay attention when an application requests access to location, contacts, cameras, microphones, photos, or other sensitive information.
It is also useful to understand whether a service uses personal information for advertising, personalization, AI features, or other purposes.
The exact controls available will depend on the service and the user’s location.
The Growing Importance of AI Privacy
Artificial intelligence could make privacy even more important over the next few years.
AI systems can analyze large amounts of information and connect details that previously existed separately.
This can create useful services, but it can also increase the consequences of poor data protection.
The European Union’s evolving AI rules show that regulators are increasingly treating transparency as an important part of responsible AI development.
Companies developing AI systems will therefore need to consider privacy alongside performance, security, accuracy, and transparency.
Will Privacy Rules Stop Companies From Collecting Data?
Privacy rules generally do not mean that technology companies must stop collecting all user information.
Many digital services require some data to operate.
The important questions are why the data is collected, whether the processing has an appropriate legal basis, how much information is necessary, how long it is retained, and whether users have meaningful rights and choices.
Modern privacy regulation is therefore more focused on responsible data processing than on eliminating data collection altogether.
The Future of User Data Privacy
The direction of privacy regulation suggests that technology companies will face continued pressure to make data practices clearer and more controlled.
Artificial intelligence, connected devices, personalized advertising, biometric systems, and location technologies will create new questions that regulators will need to address.
At the same time, governments will need to balance privacy protection with innovation and the practical benefits of data-driven technology.
This means privacy regulation is unlikely to remain static.
Companies should expect rules to continue evolving as new technologies become mainstream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are privacy rules changing?
Privacy rules are changing because technology now collects and processes much more personal information through smartphones, AI, connected devices, advertising systems, and online platforms.
What rights do privacy laws give users?
Depending on the jurisdiction, users may have rights to access, correct, delete, or restrict certain uses of their personal information. The exact rights vary by law and location.
Do privacy rules apply to artificial intelligence?
Yes. AI systems can process personal information, and regulators are developing rules covering transparency, data protection, and other aspects of AI use. The EU’s AI framework includes specific transparency requirements that began applying in August 2026.
Are privacy laws the same in every country?
No. Privacy requirements vary significantly between countries and regions. The United States also has different privacy requirements across individual states.
What can users do to protect their data?
Users can review privacy settings, limit unnecessary app permissions, avoid sharing sensitive information without a clear reason, use strong account security, and regularly check which services have access to their information.
Conclusion
New privacy rules are changing the relationship between technology companies and the people who use their services. Governments and regulators are placing greater emphasis on transparency, user control, data security, children’s privacy, sensitive information, and responsible use of personal data.
The changes are particularly significant in 2026 as regulators continue developing rules for artificial intelligence, targeted advertising, location tracking, connected devices, and automated decision-making.
