"Since Edward Snowden whistleblew on the NSA’s data mining project PRISM in 2013, the public outcry over how personal data is collected, stored and used has not been front page news. However, with this year’s revelations of the extent of data collection being used by Facebook and data science firms like Cambridge Analytica, we finally have momentum again to change the way this parasitic industry has developed and make positive changes at the technical, legal and regulatory levels, Brittany Kaiser, Cambridge Analytica whistleblower and co-founder of DATA (Digital Asset Trade Association), told me."

Personal data of up to 87 million Facebook users was obtained by Cambridge Analytica to influence voter opinion for a number of politicians in the recently leaked Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data scandal. As more personal data is compromised, the way in which data is stored and obtained comes into question. Putting users in control of their own data has become a top priority.  

In terms of technical change for the way in which data is managed, blockchain technology is gaining momentum. The global research firm, Gartner, predicts that the business value of blockchain will reach nearly $200 billion by 2025, with a good portion of this being applied to data storage. And although the market is still in its infancy, a number of companies are creating blockchain-based data storage solutions to provide users with full control over their personal data.