January 29, 2026 at 08:32 AM UTC

Heise Online

Original: DE

Recent discussions among data protection experts in Berlin have highlighted potential shifts in the interpretation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), particularly concerning the definition of personal data. This evolving stance could significantly alter how data is handled and protected across the European digital landscape. The implications of these potential changes are being closely scrutinized by businesses and privacy advocates alike. Experts at an event hosted by the LDI Berlin raised concerns that a weakening of the "personal data" threshold could inadvertently broaden the scope of what is considered non-personal data, thereby reducing the application of GDPR’s robust protections. This could impact various sectors reliant on data processing, from marketing technologies to AI development, by potentially lowering the bar for data anonymization and consent requirements. The precise technical boundaries and consequences of this proposed redefinition are still being debated. The potential impact of these "changes" to the GDPR could be far-reaching, affecting millions of European citizens and countless businesses that operate within the EU’s digital economy. If the concept of personal data becomes less stringent, it could pave the way for increased data collection and processing without the same level of oversight, raising new privacy concerns and potentially undermining public trust in digital services. This development underscores the ongoing challenge of adapting foundational privacy laws to the rapidly evolving digital environment and the constant push-and-pull between innovation and data protection.

Curated and translated by Europe Digital for our multilingual European audience.

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Publication: Heise Online

Published: January 29, 2026 at 08:32 AM UTC

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