Starting from revealing the reason why January 28 is celebrated as “Data Privacy” Day, this talk will explain why there is a difference between “data protection” and “privacy”, which are two different rights recognized as such at constitutional level in Europe and a couple of jurisdictions in Latin America - most recently in Brazil, and manifesting distinctively elsewhere even when not expressly recognized by law as being two different rights. It is essential to understand this difference, because it has consequences in the age of automated decision-making and algorithms that impact people and their communities. Looking at several real-life cases from the past three years adjudicated in Europe and all involving a form of automated decision-making underpinned by processing of personal data, this talk will underline how the essential elements of data protection law - including fairness, transparency, individual control over personal data - are shaping up the safeguarding of individual rights in the new digital world. The presentation will end with a look towards several large jurisdictions which are adopting data protection specific laws, everywhere around the world, from California, to Brazil, China, Kenya and India.

Dr. Florian Schaub, Assistant Professor of Information, School of Information and Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering, will be facilitating Q&A time after the keynote presentation.