Yesterday’s ‘Data Protection Day’ was celebrated by London’s
Data Protection community assembling at a variety of venues to discuss the obvious.
Just like Washington DC, this town evidently isn’t large enough to host a
single gathering. From the Gherkin,
where Rosemary Jay’s latest book was launched, to New Street Square, where
others assembled for free drinks nibbles, and to a host of smaller bars, the
talk was pretty much the same.
The proposed Regulation: what form a new legal instrument might
take, when it might be passed, and what might be in it.
Some discussions referred to last week’s Computers, Privacy
& Data Protection conference in Brussels. A few of the more quotable quotes
that have emerged from that event, which are worthy of further
discussion are:
“We are in a climate of increasing co-operation between
national authorities throughout the world. The challenges are switching from
talking together to working together and achieving results together” Deputy
Information Commissioner David Smith.
“There are legal restrictions on what we can share with
other authorities” Deputy Information Commissioner David Smith when explaining
some of the practical difficulties that face the ICO when working with other
regulators to investigate certain DPA offences.
“The vacuum cleaner operates at full bandwidth” Gordon Nardell
QC, when explaining how American intelligence agencies allegedly acquire
internet data on people who are not US citizens.
“Harmonisation cannot be seen as an aim in itself. You need
clarity before its implemented” Christopher Woolf, Future of Privacy Forum.
"You can’t have an EU right to be forgotten and a Member
States right to remember” Professor Gerrit Hornung, Passau University, commenting
on the problem that fragmentation may bring if certain legal powers are not transferred
to a central body.
“Publishing all privacy impact assessments could mean that
the assessments are reduced to boilerplate. PIAs must be able to be modified to
allow for an element of retrospection.” Jean Gonie, Microsoft, commenting on
the need for data controllers to be able to hold private discussions on the potential
privacy implications of certain initiatives before a decision is taken on which
option to adopt.
“The Aretha Franklin approach to respect” Gordon Nardell QC, when describing the UK Government’s
approach to respecting an individual’s right to privacy. (Aretha’s refrain
throughout the song is ‘Respect – just a little bit’)
“We don’t want growth without principles. But we don’t want
principles without growth”. Anonymous panellist.
“Privacy by Design is the ‘sustainable development’ of this
era – no-one really knows what it means” Anonymous panellist.
“I’ll just stop for
the sake of time” Anonymous panelist.
Image credit:
http://williamsportmd.gov/images/fireworks4.jpg
.
Posts
