The EDPS TechSonar is a foresight initiative that monitors emerging technologies and technology-related developments - referred to as trends - that are expected to gain relevance within the next few years. Its objective is to succinctly characterise each trend, project its potential evolution over the coming years and evaluate which positive or negative impacts it can have on privacy and other fundamental rights of individuals.
This endeavour is carried out exclusively by an internal EDPS team and leads to the creation of an annual report.
With this exercise, the EDPS aims to anticipate the impacts to individuals that might result from these new trends and to broaden public awareness of these impacts.
Roles in the TechSonar drafting process
The following roles are defined within the TechSonar drafting process:
- Trend Coordinator – Responsible for overseeing and coordinating the team throughout all phases of the TechSonar process.
- Trend Authors – Subject-matter experts tasked with drafting the individual Trend Reports.
- Trend Correspondents – Colleagues from the Policy & Consultation, Supervision & Enforcement, and Artificial Intelligence Units of the EDPS who contribute at various stages of the TechSonar methodology.
- Trend Taskforce – A multidisciplinary group of technology, legal and policy experts from across the EDPS, comprising both Trend Authors and Trend Correspondents.
TechSonar workflow
The TechSonar workflow consists of the following key phases:
1.Initial scouting
Staff members from the Technology and Privacy (T&P) Unit, together with the Trend Correspondents, propose a set of candidate technologies to be addressed in the TechSonar report.
2.Selection and shortlisting of trends
The Trend Taskforce gathers to discuss the proposed technologies. Each of the six shortlisted trends is assigned to a designated Trend Author. The six technology trends, those identified as the most relevant and potentially impactful within the next few years, will form the core content of the TechSonar report.
3.The shortlisted technology trends are evaluated using two main indicators:
- Privacy Risk Ratio (PRR): Assesses the level of privacy risk associated with each shortlisted technology. It combines a qualitative assessment with a quantitative measure, based on the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) Guidelines on Data Protection Impact Assessment.[1]
- Compounded Aggregated Growth Rate (CAGR): Estimates the projected growth rate of each selected technology in global or EU markets. This quantitative indicator is derived from publicly available open data sources.
4.Writing the reports
In this phase, Trend Authors apply their expertise to analyse and synthesise available information on the assigned technology trend. This includes sources such as research papers, patent applications and media reports. The outcome of this work is a concise, evidence-based Trend Report, forming the analytical foundation of TechSonar.
5.Peer review process
Each Trend Report undergoes two rounds of review by different members of the team. The Trend Author discusses the reviewers’ comments and incorporates feedback to ensure clarity, accuracy and consistency across reports.
6.Publishing and promotion
In the final phase, the compiled reports are reviewed and approved by management. Following approval, the EDPS publishes the TechSonar report on its official website and initiates a series of internal and external dissemination and awareness activities.
[1] Available in https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/article29/items/611236