Minimizing technology risks with PIAs, precaution, and participation

Privacy impact assessment can be a tool for responsible research and innovation (RRI). RRI can be defined as a transparent, interactive process by which societal actors and innovators become mutually responsive to each other. In order to allow a proper embedding of scientific and technological advances in society, actors and innovators keep in mind ethical acceptability, sustainability, and societal desirability of the innovation process and its marketable products [1]. This definition of RRI is close to the definition of privacy impact assessment (PIA). PIA is a process of engaging stakeholders to consider the impact of a new technology, product, service, project, or policy on privacy, and what measures could be taken to avoid or mitigate unwanted effects.