California will require browsers to ship an in-browser opt-out preference signal. This 20-minute play helps teams gate data, align words, and save proof.

The FTC’s Sendit case shows the risk pattern: kids’ data without consent and deceptive subscriptions. Here’s a plain plan and the proof to keep.

Buyers will start asking for AI safety and incident answers. Most teams are not directly covered, but procurement and RFPs will be. Here is the 30-day plan.

Soon, users won't have to click "decline" on every website. They'll send a universal opt-out signal directly from their browser or a trusted privacy tool. Your website and your entire vendor ecosystem must be ready to receive and honor these signals automatically: no email chains or manual processes required.

The startup mantra is often "move fast and break things." But what if the things you break are customer trust, investor confidence, or your company's valuation?

Privacy requests can feel like a tax on your team. A customer asks for your data map or your steps for access or deletion. You start a hunt for the perfect answer, the week slips. The fix is smaller. Write down what you do in plain words. Save one piece of proof each time you run it. That gives sales a calm story and it gives buyers receipts.

Treat privacy as a growth lever, not red tape. Clear disclosures, consent you actually honor, and strong security convert into trust, loyalty, and faster sales—especially as AI raises the bar.

Buyers want clarity and simple proof. Can you explain what your tool or process does in plain English? If it makes a call about a person, can a human check or reverse it? Do you have a short notice for users and a way to appeal? Is there a one-page model card that lists purpose, data used, limits, and human help? Finally, can you share a small evidence folder (policy page, screenshots, sample logs) without a scavenger hunt? That’s the starter set most reviews ask for.

Regulators aren’t changing the rules—but they are enforcing them aggressively. In 2025, fines can hit €20 million or 4 % of global turnover, and authorities now look at real user experience, not just banner wording. Sites must block non‑essential cookies until users opt in, provide granular choices (analytics vs. marketing), and avoid dark‑pattern designs that nudge acceptance. Pre‑checked boxes, bundled consent and cookie walls are out; maintaining audit‑ready consent logs is in.

The EU AI Act is the first comprehensive AI framework, and there will be no grace period—core obligations kick in on August 2 2025, with heightened requirements for high‑risk systems in August 2026. It bans social scoring, covert biometric categorization, emotion‑tracking in the workplace and other manipulative uses. General‑purpose AI providers must document training data, publish transparency reports and notify regulators if models are deemed “systemic.” Companies that fine‑tune or deploy AI will need a complete inventory and risk‑management plans.

The data scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.

If you have a consent management platform (CMP), is that enough for compliance? Learn more.