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Data Protection Day 2025

28 January 2025

As the world marks Data Protection Day 2025, the importance of safeguarding individual data autonomy and fostering greater privacy awareness has never been more evident. Forum Europe is proud of the role it has played in facilitating debates to advance policy-making in this area through its Annual Data Privacy Conference USA, and the Annual European Data Protection & Privacy Conference, the 14th edition of which is taking place on 26 March 2025 in Brussels.

 

The digital age is a double-edged sword, opportunities abound but these remain tempered by significant challenges that demand vigilance, responsibility, and robust action. Indeed, in Europe, Data Protection Day 2025 comes at a pivotal juncture, at the start of a new legislative cycle.

Now in its 14th year, the Annual European Data Protection & Privacy Conference promises to build on an enduring legacy, bringing together senior Commission members, industry actors, and regulators once again in conversation on Europe’s digital future. 

The 14th Annual Data Protection & Privacy Conference

Watchful of Europe’s new legislative cycle, and halfway through the Digital Decade’, stakeholders will discuss the next chapter in the continent’s expanding ‘digital rulebook.’ Responding to the widespread use of AI across the public and private sectors, stakeholders will explore its co-existence with existing data privacy frameworks and the future of data governance, both in Europe and across the globe. They will give further insight on Europe's leadership, the EU AI Act, and reflect on GDPR, 7 years on. Participants will give opinions on how we can ensure both trust and compliance in AI-driven systems, and what this means for individuals and organisations alike. Since personal data lies at the core of AI, participants will consider what further action is necessary to ensure this innovation does not come at the expense of privacy.

Beyond AI, actors will discuss the relationship between data protection and law enforcement. Debate will converge around balancing the desire for public safety with data security. With the forthcoming e-Evidence Package set to apply in 2026, the session will provide the moment for meaningful debate on the legal, technological, and ethical dimensions of data retention and law enforcement access to data.

Panel 1 at The 13th Annual European Data Protection and Privacy Conference 2023, Brussels

Panel 1 at The 13th Annual European Data Protection and Privacy Conference 2023, Brussels

Discussions will also explore how technology can give people greater freedom and control, particularly over their personal data. Reflecting on the challenges and opportunities of unlocking personal data’s full potential for innovation, research, and societal benefit, participants will seek to identify ways to ensure technology becomes a fundamental part of the solution rather than an existential problem.

Across the Atlantic, Data Protection Day 2025 is charged with a similar resonance; a week into the Trump administration, data privacy, security and digital regulation are key priorities for policymakers grappling with changing winds. Moreover, these shifts occur against the unfolding AI revolution, and as the role of technology in society continues to evolve. These challenges therefore demand fresh perspectives and dynamic discussion. 

Panel 3 at The 6th Annual Data Privacy Conference USA 2024, Washington, D.C.

Panel 3 at The 6th Annual Data Privacy Conference USA 2024, Washington, D.C.

At Forum Global’s 6th Annual Data Privacy Conference USA, held in September 2024, these themes occupied a centre stage. The event, exploring the intersection of privacy, innovation, and governance, saw actors from across the spectrum engage in substantive and meaningful discussions on the industry’s most pressing debates.

Senator Maria Cantwell, Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation; Congresswoman Haley Stevens, Michigan's 11th District; and Alvaro Bedoya, Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission joined over 180 representatives from across industry and civil society; and the rapidly evolving digital landscape provided a fitting backdrop to focussed conversations anticipating the future of technology. Throwing down the gauntlet in her keynote address, Senator Cantwell acknowledged ‘’The United States leads the world in innovation and technology’’ and called for them ‘’to lead in privacy, too.’’

Keynote Speech, Alvaro Bedoya, Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission

Keynote Speech, Alvaro Bedoya, Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission

This call to action set the tone for debates to follow. Speakers pondered how a trust-centric digital future can be built in the USA, and how best to develop a proactive approach to data protection that engages with our evolving perceptions of privacy and the future risks attached. In the face of an emerging data economy, shifting markets, and new forms of value for our data, these discussions provided a salient look beyond the landscape's horizon, and how stakeholders might interact within this new age of reason. 

Narratives on the intersection of AI and data privacy were also scrutinised. Questions lingered on how traditional data protection principles co-exist with US ambitions to bolster the delivery of an AI age, the potential for comprehensive legislation, and how stakeholders are working together to harmonise their vision. With an eye on global issues, including national security concerns, and the potential for global data-sharing frameworks to promise privacy and wider societal gain, stakeholders also reflected on the promise of promoting future convergence and interoperability, and what this might mean for all players.

Panel 2 at The 6th Annual Data Privacy Conference USA 2024, Washington, D.C.

Panel 2 at The 6th Annual Data Privacy Conference USA 2024, Washington, D.C.

Find out more and register for the 14th Annual European Data Protection & Privacy Conference here.

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