New technologies in spotlight at association of data protection officers conference

Conference will try to tackle this question of how data protection keeps up with technology

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We are now five years into a data protection landscape defined by the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR. This groundbreaking legislation transformed rules for protecting data in Europe, sweeping away almost thirty different sets of rules, and replacing them with a single, tighter set of rules. The Association of Data Protection Officers will be bringing together data protection experts and practitioners at its 14th National Annual Data Protection Conference on 16 May in Dublin.

Since GDPR came into force in 2018, the global debate on privacy has continued, with similar regulations adopted by lawmakers in other parts of the world. Technology has continued evolving too. Ad businesses such as Google and Meta have introduced new features to target ads. Just this week, social media firms including Twitter and TikTok have been in the spotlight for how they manage users’ personal data. And tech such as AI raises questions of how authorities and businesses can use personal data to make significant decisions about topics as important as criminal justice and access to welfare. In many ways, the tech world continues to move ahead of regulations and policymakers.

For its 14th edition, the Association of Data Protection Officer’s annual conference will try to tackle this question of how data protection keeps up with technology. Covering topics such as generative AI, certification of data protection officers, and even looking forward at the data protection implications of the metaverse, the conference will hear from speakers including the Irish Deputy Data Protection Commissioner, David Murphy, as well as professionals from industry, academia, and non-profits.

With data protection and privacy in the spotlight, it is essential to consider the implications that innovative technologies will have. Data protection is not an abstract concept, it is integral to how every one of us lives today, both online and offline.

The National Annual Data Protection Conference will take place on May 16 at Croke Park in Dublin. More information and registration are available at dpo.ie/conference.