I’ve always found that the IAPP offers the privacy professional with ample opportunity to connect with others in the profession. From conferences like the Symposium to KnowledgeNets, there are a ton of ways to meet and engage with people that face similar challenges. 

This past week, my participation in two such opportunities made for an eventful week.

First, we had a super well-attended KnowledgeNet in Ottawa. The meeting was led by the former interim Privacy Commissioner, Chantal Bernier; we discussed several hot topics and the feedback was really positive.

If you’re not attending these meetings on a regular basis, you’re missing out. If there aren’t any planned in your area, then maybe you should consider starting one. Email me and I’ll help show you how easy it is.

I subscribe to the virtual meeting place for privacy pros: the IAPP listserv. I know that we are often inundated with too many emails every day, and, yes, belonging to too many listservs can compound the problem. That being said, the IAPP listserv is one of the better places I've found to connect with others and learn about the issues each of us is facing. And I'm always so thrilled to see how supportive folks are of one another, when someone comes to the discussion with a particular question or challenge. This week, there was (and probably still is) a great thread on the idea of obfuscation (the newish theory that more or less says you can find anonymity even when being tracked by deliberately adding misleading information about yourself). It all started with a simple, open-ended post about the issue and it quickly was supplemented with meaningful thoughts on the subject.

Sometimes these great privacy discussions happen in person, which is great, and sometimes they're virtual. But they're happening, and everyone's invited. Staying connected and participating in our profession is rewarding, not to mention a great way to learn. I hope you take the time, now and then, to jump on board.