It’s not often that Jersey hosts a truly international event with over 500 attendees from over 250 countries around the globe. The Jersey Data Protection Authority (JDPA) hosted the 46th Global Privacy Assembly Annual Meeting this week.
The event presented Jersey at its best with a rich agenda that included global and local data protection experts together with the local community and students.
Technical change poses challenges and economic opportunities
Kirsten Morel, Jersey’s Minister for Sustainable Economic Development spoke about how technical change poses challenges and also economic opportunities. He gave Jersey’s Data Trusts, created by a partnership between Digital Jersey and Jersey’s Office of the Information Commissioner (JOIC), as a prime example.
The Minister said: “The excitement of new technology comes with a need to understand AI and future trends.”
With most attendees being from off-island, the irony of the Minister’s timing was lost on most people. He had just announced cuts to the funding for some Jersey organisations including Digital Jersey and Jersey Business. He is reported by the JEP as saying: “There will be some elements of risk and that the government would look into restructuring the affected organisations.” The Scrutiny Panel has warned the Minister that these changes could undermine efforts of the organisations to drive [the Island’s] ‘sustainable growth’.
From this opening, the event really stepped-up a gear…
Looking into the future
The first thought-provoking keynote presentation was from Nikolas Badminton, Chief Futurist at futurist.com.
Nikolas said that now is the time to step up and ‘lean into futures thinking’ with the ‘3-day Futures Challenge’.
- Day 1 – Scan for signals of change.
- Day 2 – Look for trends.
- Day 3 – Share your ideas with colleagues and peers own your industry
It is often said that change and technology are moving faster than ever today. Nikolas suggested that perhaps this is because it is ‘noisier’ today and that we are hearing about all of the change all of the time.
The impact of AI on data protection
Elizabeth Denham, Jersey’s recently appointed JDPA Chair chaired a panel that discussed the impact of AI on data protection. The panel members (shown above) were:
- Miriam Wimmer, Director of the National Data Protection Authority of Brazil (ANPD)
- Teki Akuetteh, Senior Partner at Nsiah Akuetteh & Co.
- Cari Benn, Associate Counsel at Microsoft
- Boniface de Champris, Senior Policy Manager, Computer & Communications Industry Association
Cari shared that Microsoft customers experience an estimated 600m cyber-attack attempts per day. Microsoft has 30,000 security technicians worldwide.
Cari said: “AI should be regulated so that it can be used safely”.
Teki questioned whether data protection regulators have the vision for effective AI laws. “We have to have that vision” said Teki.
“To effectively write the (AI) law, you need to understand the technology and everyone must be at the table.”
Elizabeth asked the panel who will have the biggest role in AI legislation:
- Technology companies have a crucial role in order for them to be trusted.
- Policy must set the right guidelines and laws.
- Regulators are likely to be involved later on as the laws mature.
Elizabeth added: “Data protection needs a change – it needs a renaissance”.
What the does the next generation think?
The importance of hearing the voices of our next generation cannot be underestimated.
Paul Breitbarth of the JDPA was joined by students from Hautlieu School for a really fascinating session.
They discussed ‘The privacy debate: What the next generation think – defining privacy harms: Perspectives on cyber bullying, facial recognition and what privacy means for future generations’.
Here is a selection of the student views:
- Very few people read the privacy notice(s) when downloading or using an app. They are too lengthy and we don’t read long paragraphs of text.
- Privacy notices are written in legalese – they are not clear or understandable.
- Social media settings are not very clear and I don’t understand how my data will be used.
- Most students have two social media accounts. One used for their closest circle of friends and the other being ‘friends’ (people they know of).
- People underestimate just how much information there is online about themselves.
- Research shared found that 46% of teenagers say they are online all the time. One Hautlieu student said she spends six hours a day online.
- One student admitted they do worse in an exam if they have had a late night before on social media.
- At Hautlieu school, mobiles cannot be used in classes. this makes the students feel closer to their peers.
- For people being bullied, social media can be an escape, accepting that people are often bullied on social media.
- One student said that they get their news on social media, even though they realise it may be ‘fake news’.
- The students would like continuous security advice. They get it when they first join the school, but it is not ongoing. This is important because they are not kept updated as apps and software change together with new cyber security threats.
- The students would like their opinions and experiences to be taken into account. A survey is too rigid and doesn’t capture what they have to say.
- Regulators should talk to the younger generation, not talk about them.
Click here for further information about the 46th Global Privacy Assembly Annual Meeting.
The main image shows Paul Vane, Jersey’s Information Commissioner, opening the event.
