The 2025 surge in cyber attacks clearly showed that it’s never too much caution when it comes to data protection. On the other hand, it highlighted unresolved problems like divergence in laws, unclear formulations, the need for transparency, but without exposure of sensitive information, and more. This creates problems for businesses, especially for those that operate across numerous countries. What to get ready for in 2026 and how to stick to different laws? Where to get information from regarding upcoming changes in data processing requirements? In this article, we explain it all without complex legal terms, so you know what to do.

Data protection laws 2026: what new regulations are coming

There are several major changes across the world to await. But why is it worth your time to know all those details? Well, GDPR – General Data Protection Regulations – adopted by the European Union ended up as a global reference as many non-European countries issue their own GDPR-style documents that are based on the same concepts, but with consideration of local situations. This may give a false impression that sticking to those laws and operating across countries is easy. The reality is that those laws often differ drastically, as different countries are at different stages of digital development and have their own local challenges to address. Also, some niches and regions may have specific laws. That’s why knowing what exactly is going on is a necessity.

• EU: AI Act comes into full force on August 2, 2026. It means that high-risk AI systems (those are apps that affect fundamental rights and are used in critical infrastructure, education, healthcare, public services, border control, law enforcement, etc.) will face strict requirements in terms of cybersecurity protection, incident reporting and documentation, model evaluation, and risk management. The situation is a bit easier for general-purpose models; however, transparency, compliance with copyrights, and system safety are still non-negotiable. Also, human oversight of AI documentation is necessary in all cases. Also, the European Data Protection Board highlights the importance of Articles 12-14 of GDPR regarding transparency.
• UK: If you deal with sensitive data, restrictions are still present; however, for non-sensitive data, there is some relaxation, for example, cookies are allowed without consent in low-risk situations. On the other hand, fines increase as well.
• USA: There are 3 new state laws coming in 2026. All of them apply to companies that manage data of more than 100,000 clients annually or more than 25,000 clients for those earning more than half of the total revenue from data sales. Also, starting from 1st January, the CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) amendments come into force. Now, companies that earn more than 50% of total revenue by selling or sharing data or companies with $26.625+ million revenue and 250,000 consumers must perform annual cybersecurity audits and undergo certification by the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA). Also, if your business deals with sensitive data or data of minors under 16, facial recognition, profiling, and AI training, then a privacy risk assessment and summary report to CPPA is a must. Also, local laws of Oregon and Connecticut become clearer (and stricter) with more types of data claimed as sensitive and the addition of new restrictions.
• Australia: the country enforces new rules for companies that rely on automated decision-making (ADM) technologies starting from December 10, 2026. Businesses must disclose in privacy policies how they use personal data in ADM.
• India: The country is on its way to digital privacy, and on November 13, 2026, the second phase of the DPDP (Digital Personal Data Protection) Act comes into force. However, the third (and final) phase will come into force on May 12, 2027, and from that time, an operating shutdown is possible as there will be no grace period. So it’s wise to use 2026 to adjust to upcoming requirements.

Not documented yet, but already noticeable: data protection tendencies for 2026

New technologies, as well as new threats, develop at lightning speed. Naturally, lawmakers try to keep up and react with necessary regulatory acts and adjustments to existing documents. As a result, often rules appear and change faster than businesses can track them and change their internal policies to meet new requirements. This can lead to another set of problems, like reputational damage and huge fines. That’s why constant monitoring of data protection trends is a must. It allows you to foresee possible changes before they become official acts with huge penalties, and get ready for them. As of now, there are several main tendencies.

• Enforcement becomes stronger, fines rise. More types of data are claimed to be sensitive. Authorities review laws to remove loopholes.
• Local requirements arise.
• AI regulations become stricter with calls for privacy and ethical, transparent practices regarding training new AI models.
• Rules that not only exist on paper, but are also applicable in real situations.
• Businesses look for integrated tools instead of siloed instruments that help support effective yet compliance-friendly workflows.

What businesses should do to stay compliant?

First and foremost is to monitor legal changes regularly. You can use the Global Privacy Law and DPA Directory and the US State Privacy Legislation Tracker by IAPP; Data Protection Laws of the World by DLA Piper; UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development), and Baker McKenzie’s Global Data Privacy & Security Handbook. If you are in Europe or the UK, the Norton Rose Fulbright Data Protection Report is a useful resource for you. Those sources will help you get more information about existing laws and learn about upcoming changes.

Next is to document step-by-step processes for incident response, DSARs (Data Subject Access Requests – formal requests made by a person to an organization to know how their personal data is used and stored), DPIAs (Data Protection Impact Assessment, a process of identification and minimising data protection risks), and others. This will save your time while reacting in those situations, which is important as data protection laws often set a time period that is given to a business to react. In case you fail to do so, there may be penalties such as fines. Also, this step will help you undergo audits successfully as it will show that you not just stick to rules on paper, but take very real steps.

Another important thing is to use only GDPR-compliant third-party tools. Enforce identity-first security and least privilege access rules. This is especially important if you operate in regions with strict policies, such as Saudi Arabia, Australia, or the UAE, because you will also be able to provide necessary information for compliance audits.

Finally, accepting constant changes and adjustments as a new reality is key. While developing processes, deciding on tools, and building workflow, remember that new requirements and amendments to existing laws will appear, so leave room for them. Don’t neglect consulting with local authority representatives or lawyers to learn which laws currently apply to your company, as some changes are valid only for businesses of specific sizes or niches, while others are a must for everyone. Also, if you plan on overseas expansion or already operate across the globe, get ready by exploring not only market situations, but legal requirements as well.