TOTAL: {[ getCartTotalCost() | currencyFilter ]} Update cart for total shopping_basket Checkout

The Privacy Advisor | More 'global' in Global Privacy Summit 2016: Four Latin American DPAs to speak Related reading: Notes from the IAPP Latin America Managing Director, 25 febrero 2016

rss_feed

""

""

The IAPP Global Privacy Summit 2016's "Latin American Regulatory Update" breakout session will feature data protection authorities from Peru, Uruguay, Mexico, and Argentina, discussing the pertinent privacy issues unique to both their country and their region. Notably, the session will be delivered in Spanish, the first-ever non-English presentation at an IAPP event, and represents the first time four Latin American DPAs have appeared together on an IAPP stage.  

The panel, provided with on-site, real-time English translation, will be moderated by Nymity Managing Director for Latin America José Alejandro Bermudez Durana, himself the former DPA in Colombia. It also boasts President and Data Protection Authority of Uruguay Federico Monteverde; Peru’s Director and National Authority of Data Protection, José Alvaro Quiroga León; the National Institute for Transparency, Access to Information and Personal Data Protection’s General Director of the Rights Protection and Sanctions Area Fernando Sosa Pastrana of Mexico; and Eduardo Andrés Bertoni, the Data Protection Authority of Argentina’s acting director, in his first public appearance since his official appointment.

IAPP’s Managing Director of Latin America, Rosa Maria Franco Velázquez, CIPP/US, notes that the meeting of four authorities is noteworthy as they represent agencies with “different times of creation” that are each contending with country-specific privacy issues and subsequent laws of varying ages. For example, Peru’s data protection laws are barely five years old, while Mexico just expanded and renamed its 13-year-old privacy authority. These varying perspectives, Franco said, will add color and depth to a field that is becoming increasingly mature and global.

These different experiences “will definitely make the discussion more interesting, since some of them may be going through challenges and difficulties which others already went through, making them learn from each other,” Franco said. “The experience of the older DPAs may benefit the new DPAs and facilitate enforcement of the law in those countries in which the subject matter is quite recent."

It’s an exciting conversation not only for regional representatives but also for the privacy community at large, Franco argues, as attending privacy pros will listen while these DPAs teach and learn from each other. “I know that every country needs to have its own criteria and jurisdiction but in order to form this criteria, they could look at others' experiences and not start from scratch,” she said.

It doesn’t hurt either that “privacy and data protection are incredibly hot topics in Latin America,” she said. “Since this is quite a new subject, it is obvious that not many have the knowledge. The good thing is they are willing to understand and learn from those who have already gone through similar experiences.”

There’s no better place for the curious to engage and learn than in this “international forum” that is populated by “four individuals with great capacity, desire to work and make things happen, to [create] countries which are considered important destinations in terms of privacy,” Franco said. 

The panel’s potential to enforce confidence and consideration of Latin America as a data hub has Franco excited as well. “I wish for the audience to think of Latin America as an option for the establishment of data centers, for example, in which the international accepted principles of data protection are being respected and enhanced,” she said.

While the panel is noteworthy, Franco continues, it’s not unexpected from a community and an association that is continually expanding its geographic horizons. For one week in Washington, representatives from Europe, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, Israel, and Latin American countries will assemble to put the “global” in Global Privacy Summit – a remarkable undertaking. “It is great to be part of this expansion to Latin America and to contribute with a small piece to make of our community a true international community,” Rosa said. “Since I joined the IAPP as a member some years ago, I thought that this was ‘the association’ to be in for any privacy professional and with its expansion to all the globe. I truly think I was not mistaken, and I am delighted to be part of this expansion.”

Perhaps the best element of the panel is that it’s just the beginning, Rosa said. As regional practice grows and global understanding increases, Franco wishes to see formidable representation from Latin America in the IAPP member body, as well as resources, certifications, and other tools in Spanish. For example, the IAPP in January launched its first Spanish publication, the Latin American Dashboard Digest.

Regardless of the future, Franco says the conversation is an important one to have now. The panel “has to be an ongoing conversation between all data protection authorities,” she said. “The technology and means by which our data is being processed has no barriers and does not know of borders; thus, how we respond to it, enhancing privacy and data protection rights has to be a global and comprehensive approach.”

Curious? Simply want to be a part of this historic panel at the IAPP Global Privacy Summit 2016? Registration is still open, but seats are limited.

Photo credit: Move The World via photopin (license)

Comments

If you want to comment on this post, you need to login.