Data Protection
Laws of the World
An overview of key privacy and data protection laws across more than 160 jurisdictions.
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Welcome to the 15th update of the Data Protection Laws of the World handbook. Data protection and privacy laws continue to evolve at pace, reflecting responses to technological change, increasing data‑driven business models and heightened expectations around accountability and enforcement. Alongside jurisdiction‑specific reform, a number of clear global trends are emerging, including increasing enforcement action, greater data localization and complexities with data transfers, and closer alignment between data protection, cybersecurity and wider digital regulation, all set within a backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions. As a result, keeping track of developments across jurisdictions has become both more important and more challenging for organisations operating internationally.
Privacy and Publication generally never go together. But this publication is a must for every privacy lover. Meticulous compilation of data privacy laws by the DLA Piper team.
Raghu Raman Lakshmanan, General Counsel
HCL America, Inc.
DLA Piper's Data Protection Laws of the World Handbook is an extremely useful resource. It enables us to find an answer to complex multi-jurisdictional privacy law questions very quickly.
Lieven van Parys, European Privacy Counsel
Pfizer
Looking ahead: Data protection in 2026
This edition reflects another busy year for privacy and data protection, with new legislation taking effect in key markets such as India, while enforcement of established data protection laws, such as those in Europe, continues to be influenced by an increasingly complex geopolitical environment and escalating cyber threats.
In the United States, consumer privacy laws continue to rapidly develop at the state level, with the passage of more than 20 state comprehensive consumer privacy laws and increased state and multi-state enforcement. Recently, minor privacy laws have been passed and taken effect in a number of states, imposing privacy obligations and restrictions on websites and online services that provide services that are directed at minors under 18 years old or that collect personal information about known minors under 18 years old. In addition to increased regulator enforcement, privacy litigation is on the rise in the United States – key areas of focus for privacy litigation and class action risk include minor privacy and safety, online tracking, data breaches and cyber incidents, text marketing, and biometrics.
To support clients in navigating this fast‑moving landscape, Data Protection Laws of the World will now be updated twice per year, reflecting the accelerating pace of reform within the data protection and privacy landscape and the growing need for up‑to‑date, practical insight.
This handbook is not a substitute for legal advice. Nor does it cover all aspects of the legal regimes surveyed, such as specific sectorial requirements. Enforcement climates and legal requirements in this area continue to evolve. Most fundamentally, knowing high-level principles of law is just one of the components required to shape and to implement a successful global data protection compliance program.