Privacy and confidentiality of information

Confidentiality refers to the protection of data so that it is disclosed only to authorized parties and is protected from access by unauthorized third parties37. Privacy refers to a person's right to control access to his or her personal information. Digital innovations, including Blockchain technology, may have the potential to protect the rights of citizens to privacy and confidentiality. In many cases, confidentiality and privacy are enforced by legislation (e.g. EU or national data protection legislation), regulation (client confidentiality) or contract (commercial confidentiality). As such, it is critical to understand how Blockchain technology impacts these protected rights.