An Engineering Framework for Designing and Evaluating Privacy-by-Design in Public Digital Platforms

Abstract

Abstract– Today, public digital platforms increasingly process personal and sensitive data through complex and interconnected information systems. This necessitates analyzing different engineering approaches that integrate privacy requirements from the earliest stages of system design. While Privacy by Design (PbD) has been studied from a regulatory and conceptual perspective, its implementation on public digital platforms remains a significant engineering challenge. This paper proposes an engineering framework for designing and evaluating Privacy by Design on public digital platforms. The proposed framework applies PbD principles to concrete engineering artifacts by structuring privacy integration in three dimensions: a) design requirements, b) technical safeguards, and c) evaluation indicators. These approaches support both decision-making during the design phase and post-implementation evaluation, enabling systematic assessment throughout the platform's lifecycle. To validate the proposed framework, a case-based evaluation was conducted on a set of public digital platforms in the Argentine public sector. An automated prototype was developed to evaluate Privacy by Design (PbD) benchmark indicators, including secure communication mechanisms, transparency features, and observable data minimization practices in user-accessible components. The results reveal recurring engineering deficiencies, including default security configurations, limited visibility into privacy policies, and inadequate handling of sensitive data. This proposal provides a replicable approach that supports engineering practices in the public sector, enabling developers and designers to implement Privacy by Design beyond mere regulatory compliance. This contribution promotes privacy-respecting engineering practices and supports the development of more reliable public digital systems in terms of privacy.