The Impact of Cross-Border Data Transfer on Privacy

Abstract

Following the digital revolution, the globe experienced unparalleled growth in the availability and sharing of data over the internet, whether via social media platforms or data-driven businesses. Regardless of the economic benefits of cross-border data flow, individuals’ privacy still remains threatened, which is why governments have sought to enact legislation to safeguard citizens’ privacy. The study found that cross-border data flow is as equally critical as protecting privacy and that there is a need to standardise protection standards globally. One of the most significant conclusions reached by the researcher was that, theoretically, the Saudi Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) met the criteria mentioned in the adequacy decisions. This conclusion was achieved by analysing the legislative content using a doctrinal approach and comparing the two regimes using a comparative approach. More time may be required to obtain more precise findings following the publication of the regime’s regulations. This study is limited in scope to Saudi data protection law.