The hidden benefits of privacy regulation

The digital era is characterized by near-frictionless conversion of data into dollars—absent regulatory intervention, that is. Privacy laws such as the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) restrict corporations' use of personal information. Nonetheless, Steven Maex, assistant professor of accounting at the Costello College of Business at George Mason University and a Unanet Corporate Partner Faculty Fellow, says that "privacy regulations such as GDPR can also spur firms to make improvements that will have wider consequences, including some potential benefits."