IMDA and PDPC launch Singapore’s first Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PET) Sandbox to support businesses in piloting PET projects

28 July 2022

On 20 July 2022, the Info-communications Media Development Authority of Singapore (“IMDA”) and the Personal Data Protection Commission (“PDPC”) announced the launch of Singapore’s first Privacy Enhancing Technologies (“PET”) Sandbox. The PET Sandbox will provide a testing ground for businesses to pilot their PET use cases, with technology, financial and regulatory support from IMDA.

PETs allow businesses to extract value from data without exposing the data itself thereby protecting personal data and commercially sensitive information. PETs increase the options for B2B data collaboration, enable cross-border data flows, and increase the availability of data for developing AI systems.

IMDA is inviting Singapore-registered companies (“use case owners”) to submit proposals for a six-month project. The PET Sandbox is open to use case owners who wish to experiment with PETs through use case centric pilot projects that will demonstrate how PETs can be used. Use case owners may source and partner any PET solution provider to submit a proposal. Interested use case owners can submit their use case through the online application form at https://go.gov.sg/petsandbox. The application period is from 20 July 2022 to 31 October 2022.

While PETs have seen some market adoption, many companies face deployment challenges. Through the PET Sandbox use case owners and PET solution providers will be provided with the following support:

  • Use case owners can choose to tap on solution providers pre-qualified by IMDA, which will help shorten time taken to identify relevant PET solution and providers.
  • There will be grant support (up to 50%) for eligible cost items during the project.
  • Regulatory guidance will be provided by PDPC throughout the project, to address questions and provide clarity to companies participating in the sandbox.

Drawing on the lessons from the pilot projects, IMDA plans to develop guides and tools to support industry adoption of PETs.

Reference materials

The following materials are available on the IMDA website www.imda.gov.sg and the PDPC website www.pdpc.gov.sg: