The International Association of Privacy Professionals awarding body

What we're all about

The IAPP is the largest and most comprehensive global information privacy community and resource. Founded in 2000, the IAPP is a not-for-profit organization that helps define, support and improve the privacy profession globally.

What does privacy mean?

Well, it depends on who you ask. Broadly speaking, privacy is the right to be let alone, or freedom from interference or intrusion. Information privacy is the right to have some control over how your personal information is collected and used.

Ask most people these days what they think of when it comes to privacy and you’re likely to have a conversation about massive data breaches, wearable tech, social networking, targeted advertising miscues—not to mention the Snowden revelations.

Add to that, various cultures have widely differing views on what a person’s rights are when it comes to privacy and how it should be regulated.

Where the IAPP fits in

Organizations that don’t “do privacy” right are at risk—of government enforcement, class action lawsuits, financial ruin, damaged reputation and loss of customer loyalty. Privacy is now a necessity of doing business.

The IAPP is where professionals, whether from multinationals or start-ups, can get the education, training and resources to make sure privacy is done right in their organizations. We don’t advocate, we don’t lobby, we don’t determine best practices. What we do is provide a forum for discussion and education about privacy. And while our name includes “privacy professionals”, we’re here as a resource for everyone—from HR to IT, from auditing to accountability, from compliance to the cloud—who wants to understand privacy and get the skills and information they need to get ahead.