The United Kingdom’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO: Information Commissioner’s Office) examined the future through its Tech Horizons report, published on 20 February 2025. The report scrutinizes four key technologies expected to impact our lives within the next 2–7 years.

In this article, aimed at technology enthusiasts, data protection professionals, and developers, we will closely analyze the opportunities offered by each technology and the accompanying responsibilities regarding data protection and privacy—all based on the data presented in the report.

Connected Transport

Importance

Connected transport technologies, which redefine the future mobility experience, aim to revolutionize traffic, safety, and comfort by enabling continuous communication between vehicles and their surroundings.

Report Highlights

• Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V): Sharing the location, speed, and sudden braking information of vehicles helps prevent accidents.
• Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I): Integration with infrastructure components such as traffic lights and toll systems offers more efficient traffic management.
• Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P): Communication with pedestrians—for example, enabling automatic headlight activation in darkness—facilitates the implementation of safety measures.
• Infotainment and User Experience: Integrated navigation, music, video, and internet services enhance driving comfort and safety.
• Data Flow and Security: The report emphasizes the importance of transparency, data minimization, and privacy by design.
• Shared Use Scenarios: In situations where vehicles are used by multiple users—such as in family settings, corporate fleets, or rentals—ensuring the data security of each user is critically important.

Recommendations

• Privacy Notices: Users should be informed about data collection and processing via in-vehicle screens and alerts.
• Legal Basis and Consent Mechanisms: Appropriate legal foundations should be established for data collection, allowing users to manage their consent easily.
• Data Minimization: Only necessary data should be collected to avoid excessive accumulation.

Quantum Sensing and Imaging (in Healthcare)

Importance

Quantum technologies have tremendous potential to revolutionize healthcare, particularly in early diagnosis and personalized treatment.

Report Highlights

• Quantum Sensors: Sensors that leverage the quantum properties of atoms and electrons to detect extremely low levels of magnetic fields or changes in gravity enable the acquisition of sensitive measurements—such as brain activity and heart rate—through non-invasive (non-surgical) methods.
• Quantum-Enhanced Imaging: By utilizing effects such as quantum entanglement, high-resolution and high-contrast images can be obtained. This enables detailed data to be provided through non-invasive methods in applications such as cancer screenings and brain imaging.
• Clinical Application and Timeline: Some quantum sensors are still in the experimental phase, with widespread clinical adoption expected within the next 5–15 years.

Recommendations

• Data Protection and Privacy: Due to their sensitive nature, data obtained from quantum sensors should be treated as special category personal data, and appropriate measures must be taken.
• Data Minimization and DPIA: A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) should be conducted for every new technology.
• Privacy by Design: Privacy measures should be integrated into the design of devices and systems from the onset of clinical application.

Digital Diagnosis, Treatment, and Health Infrastructure

Importance

Digital health technologies play a crucial role in the early diagnosis of diseases and the development of personalized treatment processes. The ICO report states that smart pills, digital twins, and AI-driven diagnostic systems will transform healthcare services.

Report Highlights

• Smart Pills: Thanks to the integration of miniature sensors in smart pills, various biochemical markers—from medication adherence to gastric conditions—can be monitored in real time. This provides significant opportunities for remote patient monitoring and non-invasive medical measurements.
• Digital Twins: Creating a digital replica of a patient’s organs or even the entire body facilitates pre-treatment simulations and the development of personalized care plans. Real-time updated digital models contribute to the continuous monitoring of patients' physiological conditions.
• AI-Driven Diagnosis: Leveraging big data and algorithms makes early disease diagnosis and the personalization of treatment processes possible.
• Digital Health Infrastructure: Telemedicine, virtual services, and next-generation health record systems support digital transformation in both clinical and administrative processes.

Recommendations

• Data Security and Privacy: Considering the sensitive nature of health data, robust encryption, strict access controls, and regular security updates must be implemented.
• Transparency and User Consent: Patients must be clearly informed about what data is collected and how it is processed.
• Legal Basis: Due to the special category nature of health data, appropriate legal bases (such as explicit consent or public interest) must be established for data processing.

Synthetic Media and Deepfake Detection

Importance

The manipulation of digital content has emerged as one of the most critical issues of our time. The ICO report emphasizes that detecting synthetic media and deepfake content—produced using artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques—is essential for ensuring trustworthiness and data protection in the digital world.

Report Highlights

• Synthetic Media Creation: In the processes of generating artificially created visual, audio, and video content—for example, digitally rejuvenating celebrities or producing fake videos—the use of personal data (such as biometric images and voice recordings) increases sensitivity.
• Deepfake Detection: Automated detection systems analyze subtle inconsistencies and clues to differentiate between real and fake content. Methods such as source certification and watermarking play a significant role in revealing these differences.
• Platform Responsibility: Platforms hosting content are expected to adhere to transparency and data protection principles when using synthetic media. Automated content moderation systems should be supported by human oversight to ensure that user rights are not violated.

Recommendations

• Data Processing and Privacy: Data related to real individuals used in training and detection processes falls under data protection; therefore, stringent measures must be taken.
• Transparency of Automated Moderation: The decision-making processes of detection systems must be clearly articulated in a manner understandable to users.
• Security Measures: Additional verification mechanisms should be implemented to mitigate the risks that deepfake technology may pose to fraud or identity verification systems.

Conclusion: A Healthy Data Balance

The ICO Tech Horizons 2025 report clearly outlines the technological innovations that will impact our lives in the coming years, as well as the data protection, privacy, and legal responsibilities that accompany these advancements. Areas such as connected transport, quantum sensing and imaging, digital diagnosis and treatment solutions, and synthetic media/deepfake detection offer significant opportunities while also carrying substantial risks.

The report emphasizes that technological progress not only provides functional benefits but also necessitates stringent data security and user privacy measures to ensure that these benefits are sustainable and serve the public interest. Proactive measures and human-centric approaches play a key role in establishing a healthy balance between innovation and responsibility.

This article, based on the data presented in the ICO report, highlights the importance of strategic actions and regulatory approaches when evaluating future technological trends. The full report can be accessed here: Tech Horizons Report 2025