Notes from the iappANZ, July 1, 2016

This is a week many of us will remember for the rest of our lives. It is the week Britain voted to exit the European Union. I suspect that many of us have only just begun to understand the magnitude of this decision. For me, Brexit is a stark reminder of how important it is to uphold our principles in a world capable of sudden and dramatic change.

Our privacy principles are there to protect us in good times and in bad. In the good times we need to put in as much effort as we can to ensure they are well understood and observed, so that in bad times they are there when we need them. For anyone who has the slightest doubt about the importance of privacy in a fast changing world, I commend the book “Blind Faith” by Ben Elton. It is a sobering account of a dystopian world in which privacy is dead and gone.

While in many respects the European Union is largely an economic arrangement, its foundations are based upon ensuring security amongst nations that have fought one another for centuries. A week ago relative peace and economic stability prevailed. This week all has changed.

In terms of keeping the world a secure and harmonious place, the events this week may have taken us a step in the wrong direction. It is even more important that we remain vigilant, to protect and uphold the privacy principles in a fast changing world.