In 2014 new regulations and start-ups will overturn the traditional
approach to privacy. Individuals will be encouraged to place an economic
value on their personal data—in effect creating a market for them.
A report by the World Economic Forum called personal data “a new asset class”. A study by the Boston Consulting Group said the market in Europe could be worth €1 trillion ($1.4 trillion) a year by 2020. But the gains to individuals may seem trifling. Most data points—such as age, sex or address—are worth less than a penny a piece per person.
Read more at The Economist
