Notes from the Asia-Pacific region: 2026 survey finds children's data, AI continue to top NZ privacy concerns
A 2026 survey from New Zealand finds that children's data and artificial intelligence remain the leading privacy concerns among respondents in the country, according to reporting from the IAPP. The findings suggest these issues have held sustained public and professional attention rather than fading as newer topics emerge.
Why this matters: Children's data and AI topping the list two years running is not a coincidence. It means the problems are not getting solved. Kids cannot meaningfully consent to how their data is collected, and most parents do not know what is actually being gathered. AI compounds that by processing personal data in ways that are hard to audit or explain. New Zealand is a small country, but its privacy office punches above its weight. When a survey there shows the same worries year after year, it is a signal that the tools exist but the accountability does not.
Who should care: General readers · AI governance · Policy · Privacy officers
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