Expedient clients and employees have been hearing a lot about edge computing. However, if you’re not a member of one of those fortunate groups, then you may be in the dark about what Edge Computing is and how it may benefit multinational organizations struggling to comply with ever-changing data privacy laws around the world.
Edge computing refers to the process of performing computational tasks on devices located at the “edge” of a network, rather than sending all data to a centralized data center or cloud server for processing. As an attorney with a deep background in privacy compliance, this has the potential to be a game changer with incredible implications for organizations that are trying to navigate competing data privacy requirements in multiple jurisdictions:
- Local Data Processing: Edge Computing enables local processing of data, meaning that data doesn’t need to leave the local governing jurisdiction while simultaneously reducing the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive data.
- Improved Security: Edge Computing can enhance the security of key data by reducing the number of entry points that nefarious third parties may be able to exploit.
- Compliance with Data Privacy Regulations: simply put, if data is not being transferred across borders, local privacy regulators will be much happier. For companies that know that their data is stored and processed locally, compliance becomes far less complicated. Instead of having to understand and comply with local data privacy regulations as well as those of the countries where your data is processed (along with, perhaps, those of any countries where the data may be accessible), compliance with local laws is the lone responsibility.
In addition to compliance benefits, Edge Computing can reduce latency in data processing and transmission, thus improving overall performance and user experience for employees and customers.
Interested in learning more about how Edge Computing might simplify your data privacy compliance program?
As Chief Legal Counsel at Expedient, Christopher Frenie has deep experience in areas ranging from privacy and compliance to corporate law and governance, employment matters, real estate, and M&A.
