Data security and privacy is already an extremely important Industry Trend. We at Tuta Mail - a post-quantum resistant encrypted email provider - already see this trend in growing numbers of users. Plus, the trend for digital sovereignty makes CIOs and business owners look more closely at privacy policies and the level of security of the tech products they plan to use in their companies. This is not surprising as the threats for companies to keep their data safe are constantly increasing. While in the past, phishing and encryption attacks were mostly targeted at huge corporations, any company can now become a target if it has weak cybersecurity standards. Consequently, the importance of privacy and security has already risen to very high levels, and will keep rising in 2026.
Data security and privacy are going to sit in the middle of every serious "expert take" and trend piece, not as a side note. Any story about AI, SaaS, remote work, or automation is really a story about who holds the data, how it moves, and what happens when something goes wrong. Customers already assume you can ship features, they are starting to judge you on whether you can be trusted with what they give you. If an expert roundup in a few years talks about growth and innovation without touching security and privacy, it will feel out of touch.
Eventually, it will be crucial for every industry trend or expert opinion to include data security and privacy as factors of relevance. According to the results of both Expert Roundups and larger market analyses, the quality of the analysis is directly related to how trustworthy the data used to produce it is. In addition, when examining either the private market performance or SPV Investment structures, a lack of data security could easily result in loss of compliance and customer trust. Consequently, when more data is shared across the network(s), there is a better opportunity for the privacy requirements of all participants to be satisfied so that any proprietary strategies remain confidential. As such, one extremely important lesson learned is that all trend analyses or expert analyses must include security and privacy considerations from the very beginning of the process. Compliance with these considerations not only satisfies regulatory requirements, but also will affect the speed of market acceptance, the degree to which markets engage with these platforms/trends/tools, and the long-term viability of many of the aforementioned tools/platforms that require sensitive financial and/or operational data. When businesses view privacy as an integral part of their overall business model, they will gain a competitive advantage.
I believe data security and privacy will become unavoidable topics as modern learning relies more on data. As insight grows, the responsibility to protect learner information also grows at the same pace. Experts will need to clearly explain how protection methods expand alongside platforms and larger audiences. These conversations will shape how organizations plan systems and measure long term learning impact. Privacy will guide smarter decisions about what data truly matters and what can be left out. Collecting less information can improve focus and reduce risk while still supporting strong learning outcomes. Learners will value honest explanations over complex language that hides how their data is used. Security will move into the spotlight and shape how learning success is defined and shared openly globally.
As the founder of Sekurno, which protects fast growing startups in technology driven industries, I see data security and privacy becoming a core driver of product and growth. Industry trends will favor companies that can clearly show how they protect user data.
Data security and privacy are not features, they are the very backbone of public trust for the future of transport. Without strong, enforceable security in transportation systems, smart transit adoption will fail. Smart transit systems deal with incredibly sensitive data: live location, payment information, and travel patterns, all linked to a person's life, where the spoils of a breach could be a public safety problem. The stakes could not be higher; transportation data breaches more than doubled in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to Ground Labs. And this uptick demonstrates that a root and branch approach is needed -- one that takes security as read, and not an afterthought, from day zero. There are no on switch, tight connections, switch, step away -- and then call the technicians. A zero-trust architecture is needed, with the understanding that no device is to be trusted more pulling a connection, and therefore must be constantly reverified with every new link that is formed. Added to this mix must be the principle of privacy by design, meaning data avoidance, and quality, as Roger Daltrey said in his guide to crisis management. Put the two together and we end up with systems that keep rain clouds out of our heads as we move.