In recent years consumers have become accustomed to the fact that certain firms know more about them than some of their closest family members: where they shop, what type of music they listen to, and what their political opinions are.

They’ve also become accustomed to the fact the that these firms can make billions of dollars from this data, while they themselves derive almost no personal benefit.

However, the tide of public opinion is changing and what once may have seemed innocent a decade ago is drawing intense criticism from across the entire political spectrum.

Consumers and regulators are now backing movements that would give consumers more power over - or even the potential to profit from - their own data.

To discuss these issues, Will McCurdy, content editor of National Technology News spoke to Anne Josephine Flanagan, data policy and governance lead at the World Economic Forum.