IMDA and PDPC launch Singapore's first Privacy Enhancing Technologies Sandbox as they mark decade-long effort of strengthening public trust

SINGAPORE – 20 JUL 2022

This year marks the 10th anniversary of data protection law in Singapore. Over the past decade, Singapore has built a progressive regulatory environment that protects consumers’ interest and supports economic growth. With the increase in online activities and the collection of personal data by companies, there is a need for stronger data protection measures. Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PET) occupy a sweet spot by allowing the extraction and sharing of insights while ensuring the security and confidentiality of personal data.

The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) are launching a PET Sandbox to support businesses who wish to pilot PET projects that address common business challenges. The PET Sandbox was announced by Singapore’s Minister for Communications and Information, Mrs Josephine Teo, in her keynote address at the Personal Data Protection Seminar held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre this morning.

Launch of Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PET) Sandbox

PETs have the potential of unlocking value from private or proprietary data that businesses may not be willing to disclose. As PETs mature and become ready for adoption, businesses have asked for guidance on deploying PET solutions in real-world applications. To this end, the PET sandbox will provide a safe environment and testing ground to pilot PET projects. These projects will help businesses identify the appropriate PET to address their data-sharing objectives and better understand technical limits.

Drawing on the lessons from the pilots, IMDA and PDPC plan to gather the learning points in case studies, identify common software tools that can support the industry’s adoption of PETs and develop policy guidance to set standards and best practices for data protection.

Use case owners will be required to bring use cases based on three common data sharing objectives. This focus can help potential owners identify relevant use cases, as well as enable IMDA and PDPC to concentrate resources to develop future policy and technical solutions. The following common business challenges surfaced from initial industry consultation:

1. How to identify common customers across business units?
2. How to establish a more holistic picture of customer preferences?
3. How to make more data accessible for AI development?

Participants in the PET Sandbox will also enjoy the following benefits:

1. Ready access to a panel of PET solutions providers
2. A comprehensive suite of support including grants and regulatory guidance to support pilots of PET use cases

The PDPC’s Deputy Commissioner, Mr Yeong Zee Kin, said: “Privacy Enhancing Technologies, while nascent, occupy a sweet spot by allowing the extraction and sharing of insights, while ensuring the security and confidentiality of personal data. These qualities are appealing to data protection regulators. We are keen to support adoption for suitable use cases. Through the PET Sandbox, we aim to discover with private sector participants the right PET to use case fit and their technical limits, so that we can establish standards and best practices to support greater adoption.”