As privacy regulations become increasingly complex and fragmented across the globe, many organizations are left grappling with uncertainty. They’re unsure which rules apply, how to interpret them, or how to implement effective, unified compliance strategies. Overlapping requirements from different jurisdictions often result in siloed efforts, wasted resources, and greater exposure to risk. Shannon Noonan, CEO and founder of HiNoon Consulting, brings more than 15 years of cybersecurity and compliance leadership from her work at BlackBerry, Cylance, and other global tech companies. She helps businesses cut through the confusion and build smart, scalable privacy frameworks that actually work.
Understanding Core Differences Between Major Privacy Laws
Most businesses get tangled up trying to manage privacy regulations because they don’t understand the fundamental differences between major laws. Shannon points out a critical distinction many organizations miss: “GDPR originated in the EU, while CCPA is the California privacy laws. They lean on each other and there are strengths between the two of them. However, there are some differences.” These differences matter more than companies realize when building their compliance programs.
The core focus areas separate these regulations in important ways. “GDPR emphasizes individuals’ rights to access, correct and erase personal data, while on the other hand, CCPA focuses more on the transparency and the right to opt out of data selling,” she explains. Understanding these distinctions helps businesses avoid the common mistake of treating all privacy laws the same way. Location and customer base determine which regulations apply to your business, making geographical awareness crucial for compliance success.
Building a Unified Privacy Program
Too many companies create separate systems for different regulations, leading to confusion and inefficiency across teams. she sees this problem repeatedly in her consulting work: “A lot of companies treat GDPR and CCPA not only as beasts, but they also keep them completely separate as part of the organization. So the legal team may handle GDPR and CCPA, while the security team may handle other requirements.”
This fragmented approach creates organizational chaos that Shannon works to fix. The compliance team ends up stuck in the middle trying to coordinate everything, while finance teams often remain completely out of the loop. Instead of this scattered approach, she recommends building something more cohesive: “Build a unified privacy program that addresses the common principles around data mapping, access controls, breach notifications and vendor management. Once the foundation is in place, you can tailor specifics for each regulations.” The benefits of this unified approach extend beyond just saving time and money. “This saves time, reduces duplication and creates more resilient privacy infrastructure,” she notes. The concept works like building a strong foundation that supports multiple structures rather than creating separate buildings for each requirement.
Making Compliance Continuous
The worst mistake companies make? Thinking compliance is a project with an end date. Shannon sets the record straight: “Compliance is continuous, not a check the box activity. Regulations evolve and also should your compliance strategy.” You can’t just build something once and forget about it. Getting your foundation right now pays off later. “The foundation that you build for privacy, as well as other compliance and security aspects is going to impact what you do for artificial intelligence,” she notes. New rules keep coming, but companies with solid basics can adapt quickly.
Most companies assume their employees know what to do. Bad assumption. she asks the questions that expose the truth: “Are you operating effectively? Are employees being trained? Do they know what they’re supposed to be doing? Or are you assuming they know what they’re supposed to be doing?” Don’t guess. Check. How often should you check? That depends on your business, but you need a schedule. Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly – pick something and stick to it. Shannon tells her clients the same thing every time: “I remind clients all the time, compliance is not a one and done project. It is an ongoing commitment.”
Good privacy programs do more than keep lawyers happy. They make customers trust you more and help your business run better. her advice connects the dots: “Invest in a culture of privacy and compliance awareness, and you’ll not only meet legal standards, but you’ll also build trust with your customers.” Privacy laws don’t have to be scary. her approach proves that with the right foundation, any company can handle these requirements without breaking the bank or driving everyone crazy. Stop overthinking it and start building something that works.
Connect with Shannon Noonan on LinkedIn to explore smarter, unified strategies for data privacy compliance.
