FROM DATA PROTECTION TO «PRIVACY BY RESEARCH» FOOD FOR THOUGHT IN THE LIGHT OF THE NEW EUROPEAN GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION

The paper recalls the process which led to the adoption of the new european Data Protection Regulation, in the context of the rapid development of the Information and Communication Technologies and the amazing increase of data flows (Big data). Data Protection and Privacy Protection could be seen as limits to the development of technologies. On the other hand, the rapid evolution of Smart cities and ICTs brings new risks for the protection of fundamental rights. The new european Regulation n. 2016/679 could be insufficient to protect privacy rights in the age of Big data. Maybe some new instrument is necessary to protect personal data and, consequently, privacy. The paper proposes the concept of «Privacy by Research», intended as a new privacy-friendly method of design for devices, databases and apps.