Lessons Learned: Surveying the Practicality of Differential Privacy in the Industry

Since its introduction in 2006, differential privacy has emerged as a predominant statistical tool for quantifying data academic works. Yet despite the plethora of research and open-source utilities that have accompanied rise, with limited exceptions, failed to achieve widespread adoption enterprise domain. Our study aims shed light on fundamental causes underlying this academic-industrial utilization gap through detailed interviews 24 practitioners across 9 major companies. We analyze results our survey provide key findings suggestions companies striving improve protection their workflows highlight necessary missing requirements existing tools, goal guiding researchers working towards broader privacy. indicate analysts suffer from lengthy bureaucratic processes requesting access sensitive data, yet once granted, only scarcely-enforced policies stand between rogue misuse private information. thus argue can significantly conducting exploration silos, conclude few improvements suggested herein, practical use is within striking distance.