Data Privacy in 5G Networks

As Standalone 5G networks continue their global rollout (albeit at a relatively slow pace), the conversation that fuelled the rollout of NSA 5G has shifted away from sheer speed and connectivity and headed towards other areas of critical concern, including considerations for data privacy, security, and regulatory governance. 5G, and particularly SA 5G, was never supposed to be simply an incremental improvement on previous generations; it was supposed to be a transformative leap that enabled massive deployments of IoT, edge powered low latency services, and ultra-reliable communications. However, as the device and service ecosystem that 5G supports grows, privacy and data protection risks are an area of careful consideration, especially as data privacy laws like the UK’s GDPR, Brazil’s LGPD, California’s CCPA, China’s PIPL, Singapore’s PDPA and various other regional regulations tighten controls on data handling (the list of regional data privacy laws is pretty extensive and growing steadily).

Data Protection Impact Assessment in 5G

A DPIA (Data Protection Impact Assessment) is a mandatory step under many privacy laws when implementing technologies that process large amounts of personal data. 5G networks, by design, facilitate massive data flows across connected devices, applications, and platforms. This data is not just about user identities; it includes geolocation, health metrics from wearables, and even behavioural patterns. Fundamentally, the richer the service offering that 5G provides, the more we see a rise in sensitive data that is being transported.

Consequently, 5G network operators must conduct comprehensive DPIAs before deploying 5G infrastructure or services that process personal data. DPIAs help identify privacy risks early and establish mitigation strategies—essential in a landscape where personal data moves swiftly across distributed network elements. 5G networks introduce architectural changes that create both opportunities and vulnerabilities for data privacy protection. Unlike 4G, 5G's increasing use of network slicing, edge computing, and virtualization means that data is no longer centralized. Instead, it may be processed closer to the end-user via edge nodes, raising questions about local data protection standards, especially in cross-border data flows. These types of services are still in their infancy, which means addressing data privacy concerns now is a pretty fundamental objective for successful rollout.

To protect privacy, network operators must implement privacy by design and by default principles. Encryption of data in transit and at rest, anonymisation techniques, and stringent access controls become fundamental in safeguarding user information across fragmented 5G ecosystems.

The Privacy Challenges of 5G Networks

The privacy challenges of 5G are multi-layered:

• Increased data collection - more connected devices mean more personal data being generated, including sensitive health or biometric data.
• Decentralized infrastructure - with edge computing, data is processed in multiple locations, complicating the enforcement of privacy regulations.
• Virtualization – redundancy is built into core network infrastructure by design, which is great for preventing network down time but naturally increases the number of places data resides.
• Cross-border data transfers - as data travels across borders, ensuring compliance with diverse regulatory frameworks becomes a major hurdle (although this has always been the case with mobile networks).
• Network slicing risks - each network slice can have distinct security requirements, and improper configuration could expose sensitive data.
  
  

Addressing these challenges requires not only robust technical safeguards but also regulatory compliance frameworks that can adapt to the unique nature of 5G.

Accountability and Governance

Accountability and governance are central pillars of data privacy laws like GDPR, which mandates that organizations must not only comply but also demonstrate compliance. For 5G networks, this translates into clear data governance policies that dictate:

• Who controls the data within each network layer and slice.
• What data is being collected, its purpose, and retention period.
• How data processors and controllers are monitored.

Telecom operators and their partners need to establish clear lines of responsibility for data protection across the 5G value chain. Third-party service providers accessing or processing user data must adhere to the same governance standards.

Fundamentally, 5G significantly alters the security landscape. While it introduces native security improvements like mutual authentication (termed 5G Authentication and Key Agreement), robust encryption (like 4G, 5G uses AES), and improved subscriber privacy (your IMSI is no longer sent in the clear), it also expands the attack surface. Billions of connected devices create more endpoints for potential breaches, requiring advanced threat detection, AI-driven analytics, and end-to-end security strategies. This of course takes investment, which is on top of the already colossal sum of money operators are having to spend on SA 5G rollout.

Is 5G Safe for Privacy?

The question “Is 5G safe for privacy?” doesn’t have a simple yes or no answer. While 5G offers more security enhancements compared to previous generations, its complexity introduces new privacy risks that must be carefully managed. In addition, although the 3GPP may introduce new security mechanisms, many are optional to implement so at times there can be inconsistencies from one operator to another. Hence, the safety of 5G for privacy heavily depends on the governance and regulatory compliance enforced by mobile operators.

Figure 2 provides an overview of where security is implemented across an end to end 5G network (taken from our course on 5G Security).

The Impact of Data Privacy Laws on 5G Deployment

The impact of data privacy laws on 5G is significant. Regulatory compliance can shape network design and hence influence vendor selection, and even determine market entry strategies. Non-compliance risks hefty fines, reputational damage, and loss of consumer trust, with recent high profile data breaches having profound consequences for the operators involved. In some regions, laws dictate strict data localization requirements, compelling operators to store data within national borders. As mentioned, this has significant cost and architectural implications for global 5G rollouts.

Consequently, 5G network laws are evolving in response to these challenges. International bodies such as the ITU, national regulators, and standards organizations such as the 3GPP are working to create frameworks that balance innovation with privacy. Countries like the EU are already integrating 5G-specific guidelines within broader data protection regulations like GDPR (see their factsheets within the “EU Toolbox for 5G Security”). In parallel, standards such as 3GPP’s privacy and security frameworks, standardized in the 33 series of specifications, provide technical specifications to guide 5G deployments in line with global privacy expectations.

Conclusion

As 5G matures, the convergence of privacy laws, governance models, and advanced security protocols will be essential to building networks that not only connect devices but also protect the individuals behind them. The success of 5G isn't just measured by speed—it’s equally about ensuring data privacy, regulatory compliance, and maintaining user trust in an increasingly connected world.

For further information on the security aspects of 5G, we offer the following courses:

• 5G Security – provides an end to end view of 5G security, covering Assets and Threats, 5G Architectural Security and 5G Authentication and Key Agreement.
• Introduction to Cellular Cybersecurity - with a focus on key concepts, threat actors, cellular vulnerabilities, attack vectors, maintaining compliance, mitigation techniques, and emerging technologies.
• Cloud Security - explores telecom cloud security, covering threats, data security, monitoring, incident response, training, vendor security, compliance, and emerging trends for a resilient cloud environment.