In today's transitional times, particularly since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, emergency measures have pushed society into an intensified adoption of, and reliance on, digital solutions.
With work-from-home orders, online education, digital vaccine passes, and border closures, our increased dependence on a few companies for vital technological infrastructure has been, and continues to be, fiercely debated.
The allure of efficient algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) systems brings society to a pivotal moment, one in which we can collaboratively set a sustainable agenda for the governance of such systems and technologies.
European Union efforts in setting the tone of such an agenda are clearly seen in the rules proposed by the AI Act, one of the key topics of discussion during this year's Computers, Privacy and Data Protection conference.
Within an atmosphere of openness and mutual respect, stakeholder groups will spend three days assessing the impacts of the adoption of AI in a variety of contexts, from online platforms to healthcare and education infrastructures.
Beyond issues of privacy and data protection, it is of vital importance to explore the central themes affecting today's digital society in the wider context of pre-existing power relations, with the goal of ensuring technology unites, rather than divides, communities.
During the Computers, Privacy and Data Protection conference — also known as CPDP to the privacy community — many high-level discussions will touch upon the dynamics of decision-making in the design of new technologies, including the importance of inclusion, diversity, and ethics perspectives within these processes.
As we reflect upon such dynamics, this year's programme will also see the privacy community revert to a few of the foundational questions — How do we create laws and standards that effectively address new challenges and protect fundamental rights? How do we collectively design our digital future, and how can we create sustainable systems of infrastructure to support it?
CPDP has been part of the Brussels fabric for 15 years and has become a true melting pot of disciplines — a place where academics, policymakers, regulators, industry, civil society, and artist interact, and where students and young people can contribute ideas towards a fairer digital future.
This year, the Scientific and Programming Committees of CPDP, together with their global partners, bring together a forward-looking, multidisciplinary programme, with more than 80 panels united by the theme of 'Data Protection and Privacy in Transitional Times' to address the toughest questions facing the privacy, data protection and technology world today.
#CPDP2022 will start on 22 May with a stellar opening event at Area 42 in Brussels.
Having recently returned from the Ukrainian/ Polish border, activist and security analyst at Nym, Chelsea Manning will speak about the urgency of private and secure communications—in this case for trans rights activism under conditions of conflict.
Chelsea will be in discussion with professor at KU Leuven, Bart Preneel and Nym CEO Harry Halpin to map out the surveillance challenges of tomorrow and what we can do about them.
The discussion will be followed by an expert panel exploring the impacts of the EU's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act on vulnerable individuals, organised by the Brussels Privacy Hub.
There is still time to join the conversation by registering to attend on 23-25 May, with the opening event on 22 May.
Bianca-Ioana Marcu is the managing director of CPDP Conferences, co-director of Belgium-based NGO Privacy Salon, and PhD researcher at the Law, Science, Technology & Society Research Group (LSTS) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
Bianca-Ioana Marcu is the managing director of CPDP Conferences, co-director of Belgium-based NGO Privacy Salon, and PhD researcher at the Law, Science, Technology & Society Research Group (LSTS) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.