Signal Near-universal data protection law paired with regulatory divergence

Summary

Data protection law has spread to most of the world, yet the rules are diverging rather than converging. Around 79% of countries now have legislation protecting personal data. Each state, however, is striking its own balance between governing AI and meeting privacy and security needs. That fragmentation is expected to reshape data sovereignty and the terms of competition. For organisations operating across borders, the practical consequence is an increasingly complex compliance environment in which wide coverage does not mean consistent rules.