Privacy Symposium 2024

Cooley is proud to sponsor the Privacy Symposium, which aims to promote international dialogue, cooperation and knowledge-sharing on data protection, compliance and innovative technologies. With more than 300 experts sharing their perspectives, the Privacy Symposium provides a venue for data protection professionals, specialists, authorities and researchers to meet and discuss a variety of topics surrounding data regulation and compliance. The event offered opportunities to enhance skills through deep-dive sessions and receive certificates of attendance that facilitate data protection officers’ compliance with training and updating obligations under Article 38 of the General Data Protection Regulation. 

Featured agenda item

Monday, June 10, 2024 | 4:30 – 5:30 pm CEST

Democratic Oversight of Privacy and Government Access to Personal Data

Cooley cyber/data/privacy partner and practice group co-chair, Travis LeBlanc, led this session discussing privacy in democratic societies and exploring the complex interplay between national security and privacy. Democratic societies must address dual obligations: Protecting their population and preserving the fundamental rights of their citizens. They seek to balance national security interests with the protection of civil liberties by ensuring proportionality and democratic oversight of government access to personal data. This panel examined the challenges, best practices and implications of national security and access to personal data in the context of democratic societies.

Wednesday, June 12, 2024 | 4:00 – 4:30 pm CEST

Internet Governance and Risks for Freedom, Neutrality and Fragmentation

During this session, Travis LeBlanc was one of six industry professionals who shared insights on internet governance. The internet was developed to interconnect servers, but with the web, it quickly became a space for free and open communications. The internet has changed our world by playing a central role in ensuring fundamental human rights, such as freedom of expression. It is part of our modern economies and societies, but the paradigm of a free internet is under pressure to address security and law enforcement requirements, raising questions about its future governance. The speakers on this panel explored the complex interplay between internet governance, security requirements and fundamental rights – in particular, the risks posed to freedom of expression, personal data protection and privacy. The panel also considered the question of internet neutrality and the risk of fragmentation, with countries limiting access.

Thursday, June 13, 2024 | 12:20 – 1:00 pm CEST

Artificial Intelligence, Data Ownership and Intellectual Property Rights

Patrick Van Eecke, Cooley cyber/data/privacy partner and practice group co-chair, spoke alongside two other privacy professionals on what to know about artificial intelligence (AI), data ownership and intellectual property rights. AI ingests existing data to generate new data. As AI technologies continue to revolutionize industries, questions surrounding the ownership of data and the protection of intellectual property have become increasingly complex. During this session, the speakers explored the intersection of AI, data ownership and intellectual property rights. They also discussed legal, ethical and practical aspects in the context of AI innovation, shedding light on key issues and potential solutions.

For more information, please email Sydney Sachs.