The EU Article 29 Working Party (WP29) has issued an Opinion on ‘Recent Developments on the Internet of Things’ (Opinion). The Opinion stresses the privacy and security challenges generated by the development of the Internet of Things (IoT), while acknowledging the benefits of IoT to individual lives, and the prospect of significant economic growth within the EU companies.

The Opinion focuses on innovations such as wearable technology and connected devices in homes, cars, and work environments, Quantified Self sensors, and Home Automation or “demotics.”

The WP29 identifies challenges and security risks posed by these devices, and recommends the implementation of Privacy by Design/Default (PbD) techniques and other practical tools aimed at specific industries, such as device manufacturers and application developers, to ensure that their developments safeguard the data subject’s privacy.

The Opinion recommends that organisations placing IoT devices in the marketplace should complete privacy impact assessments, conduct timely deletion of raw data, respect users’ rights to self-determination of their data, and use appropriate privacy information notices to inform and obtain consent.