Our call for regulatory intervention
The European Data Protection Supervisor announced in January 2019 its intention to increase efforts to monitor the
evolution of blockchain technology in order to "adequately advise the EU legislator on the possible risks and safeguards
involved".34 However, in addition to this, greater action is required by both data protection authorities and law-makers in
relation to the interplay between blockchain and data protection. More specifically, we are calling for:
1. Regulatory intervention, particularly in
relation to:
a whether (and how) innovative forms of
data deletion (such as deletion by way
of encryption) can function in such a way
that robustly upholds individuals' rights
to have their own personal information
deleted by data controllers in line with
Article 17 of the GDPR; and
b whether a corrective supplementary
statement can function as a suitable
means of rectifying inaccurate personal
data in line with Article 16 of the GDPR.
2. Greater engagement by, and co-operation
between, regulators, law-makers and
blockchain technology developers such
that legal and regulatory obstacles might
be overcome in a manner that facilitates
the continued growth and exploitation of
blockchain as a technology of currently
indefinable potential.
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