Shaurya Sengar - The Privacy Engine: What It Takes To Build Real-Time Compliance At Scale

In today’s digital economy, data is no longer just a byproduct of business — it is the business. Every time we browse a website, chat with a virtual assistant, or upload a selfie, we’re handing over pieces of personal information. For tech companies, especially those operating at scale, the challenge isn’t just to protect this data. It’s to demonstrate, in real time, that they are doing so — to users, investors, partners, and regulators.

This is where privacy compliance comes in. And it’s not just a legal form that is filed away somewhere. Modern privacy compliance is a full-time, always-on responsibility — one that requires systems, not just policies. It’s about making privacy and data protection a living part of how a company operates every day.

Why the urgency? Because the speed and scale of digital business have exponentially increased. Millions of users can sign up for a new app within days. AI systems can process thousands of conversations per minute. Products evolve weekly. In this environment, old-school compliance methods — annual audits, static policies, or a checklist buried in legal — simply isn't sufficient anymore. To keep up, businesses need what is called a privacy engine. Think of it as the behind-the-scenes system that makes sure every piece of data is being handled the right way — automatically, consistently, and visibly.

So, what goes into building this engine?

The first and most basic requirement is knowing what data you have and where it is. This may sound simple, but for many companies, it’s a major challenge. Data often lives in dozens of places: customer support tools, analytics dashboards, partner platforms, cloud servers — and more. To stay compliant, a company must constantly keep track of this data: what’s being collected, how it’s being used, and who can access it. That means having tools and processes to map the flow of data in real time. Next comes respecting user choice. People want more control over their personal information. Whether it’s deciding not to share their location, opting out of marketing emails, or requesting to delete their account — these rights must be honored. And more importantly, the company must be able to prove that it has honored them. That means building clear user settings into products and ensuring that those choices are followed through automatically across all parts of the business.

Another important element is setting guardrails in the system itself. Rather than relying only on employees to remember and enforce privacy rules, the best companies are baking those rules into how their technology works. For example, if a piece of information is sensitive — say, a government ID or a voice recording — the system might block it from being shared with third parties or automatically delete it after a set time. These kinds of safeguards reduce human error and help companies stay compliant even as they scale.

Companies also need visibility — the ability to monitor their own data practices. Just as a CFO tracks revenue or a COO monitors supply chains, a privacy officer needs tools to keep an eye on data usage. Are employees accessing only the data they need? Are old records being cleaned up? Is user information being stored securely? These are questions that need ongoing answers, not just annual reports.

Lastly, it’s critical to have everyone on the same page. Privacy is no longer just the concern of the legal department. It affects product teams, customer support, marketing, and even the boardroom. The most advanced companies treat privacy as a shared responsibility, where each function plays a role — and everyone understands the “why” behind the rules.

The good news? Companies that invest in this kind of system reap the benefits far beyond compliance. They move faster. When privacy is built into the system, product teams don’t have to wait for lengthy legal reviews before launching features. Sales teams don’t lose momentum waiting to fill out long security questionnaires. Customer support teams can confidently respond to privacy questions.

They build trust. Users are more likely to stick with brands that treat their information with care. Especially in industries like healthcare, finance, or education, privacy can be a key selling point.

They attract partners and investors. Increasingly, businesses doing due diligence — whether for a partnership or an acquisition — look closely at data governance. A well-run privacy engine signals maturity, transparency, and long-term thinking.

Most importantly, they avoid costly mistakes. A single mishandled piece of data can lead to public backlash, lost customers, and serious legal consequences. It’s far cheaper — and smarter — to build privacy into the foundation than to scramble during a crisis.

We’re entering an era where data is as central to business as capital or talent. And just like you wouldn’t run a modern company without a financial system or an HR system, you can’t succeed at scale without a privacy system.

The companies that recognize this — and act on it — won’t just avoid risk. They’ll gain an edge.

Because in a world that runs on data, trust is the most valuable currency of all.

About Shaurya Sengar

Shaurya Sengar is an experienced privacy engineer at Meta, based in New York, USA. With a robust background in computer science, software engineering and business administration, he earned his undergraduate degree from Carnegie Mellon University. At Meta, Shaurya plays an important role in developing scalable privacy platforms that manage large-scale work distribution, ensuring compliance with global regulations while maintaining operational efficiency. His expertise lies in balancing the complexities of regulatory requirements with the fast-paced nature of technology development at large organizations. Shaurya is focused on advancing privacy engineering practices and fostering innovation which aims to uphold the highest standards of privacy compliance.