It is European Data Protection Day – but who cares?

January 28 is European Data Protection Day. This day is intended to draw attention to an important topic. But what significance does this date have for most people? And how can we find the right way to raise awareness of the important benefits of data protection?

The question of data protection divides people's opinions

January 2025 has brought some highs and lows. In particular, the start of US President Donald Trump second term is causing political, economic and social uncertainty worldwide, which is affecting an enormous number of areas – including data protection in the EU. At the moment, data can (still) be transferred from the EU to the USA, at least legally and with certain legal / organizational hurdles, and the US data protection is still considered "adequate". However, this structure However, this structure rests on unsteady foundations.

The discussion about European solutions as a secure alternative to US IT giants is gaining momentum, but is also dividing the camps. In this case, the political sphere is a mirror of society: while some completely ignore data protection and simply hope that nothing bad will happen, others believe that it can't be secure enough.

Yet there is actually no need for extremes if a solid and reliable middle ground already exists. Because the reality is: Many European solutions are already available today. As Stackfield, we are one of them. And these solutions are also accepted. However, the choice often falls on a US provider (possibly also out of habit) without even having looked at the alternatives.

With growing concerns about the security of EU citizens' data from large US tech companies, a day of action like the European Data Protection Day, which takes place annually on January 28, should be on everyone's mind. But when we were considering whether it was worth focusing on this special day in a blog post this year, a colleague asked an uncomfortable question:

Data protection – an inconvenient obligation?

This question is quite justified. What does the average person care about data protection anyway? Aren't the many political requirements, regulations such as DORA or NIS-2 and the resulting extra work and bureaucracy more of a red flag? An obstacle, a nuisance in our daily work and even in our private lives? An annoying pop-up that has to be clicked away on every new website? We can't give a definitive answer, but we suspect that the answer will be "yes" in many cases – unfortunately.

But why is that the case? Why does it take data leaks, in which thousands and thousands of data records are stolen and in some cases billions of euros worth of damage caused, for the topic to briefly become the focus of public attention again? To generate a collective shaking of heads and finger-pointing before data protection disappears again into the shallows of diffuse everyday hazards?

Sure, it would be nice if we treated data protection like brushing our teeth. Taught from an early age, we do it every day, usually without giving it much thought. However, handling data securely requires more than just toothpaste and a brush – and this is probably the crux of the matter. After all, it takes time and attention to grasp the complexity of data protection. Both are often in short supply in our complex and fast-paced everyday lives. Be honest – how often have you read the full terms and conditions or data protection information on a website? To be honest, the author of this text has not done so as often as he probably should have.

However, technical progress does not take personal needs into consideration and can also not be stopped. If you want to keep up, you have to keep learning. This applies not only to users, but also to the legislation. Robust and reliable rules are needed that clearly define the scope but are flexible enough to adapt quickly to new circumstances. "Quick" being the key characteristic here. Data leeches and cyber criminals don't wait until politics and society are ready for new developments.

What exactly happens to the data that is stolen or that we might even share carelessly and voluntarily? That is also a good question. A simple answer cannot be found here either, as there are too many ways in which personal data can be misused. Is user behavior analyzed for advertising purposes? To make statements about users' political views? Or even for criminal activities such as social engineering? It is possible.

Creating awareness instead of pointing fingers

All of this shows that data protection is important. But what can be done to put data protection more in the spotlight without causing general eye-rolling? Certainly not with a raised index finger, solemn words or general warnings of possible horror scenarios. Instead, we believe that data protection should become a bigger part of everyday life. This can be achieved if more and more companies, institutions, authorities and the like set a good example.

Many of these good examples already exist and we are delighted to be able to count our customers among them. This alone shows us that there already are those who care about what happens to their and our data. By relying on European solutions, these companies, institutions and authorities have taken on a pioneering role and show that a pragmatic approach can do a lot of good. And – and this is one of the most important apects – they are talking about it.

When people talk and discuss about data protection, the topic remains on their minds and on their tongues. Considering this, the European Data Protection Day is perhaps not as trivial as it may first appear. It makes us aware that data protection is about our data and how it is used – and therefore ultimately about how our lives can be influenced. And it shows us that we are not empty-handed, but that we have the rights and options to protect our personal data appropriately. We just have to want to do it, even if it seems difficult at first.

Questions that make you think

We have asked many questions in this article. However, we can hardly provide any answers. But if we have succeeded in getting readers to ask themselves the same questions and think about the importance of data protection in their daily lives, then we have actually already achieved what the Data Protection Day aims to do – to raise awareness of this uncomfortable but not unimportant topic.