While the EU is launching data strategies and regulations at a pace it is difficult to keep track with, the opposite seems to be the case at the national level in many European countries. A Privacy Commission set down by the Government in Norway recently stressed that digitalisation is happening at the expense of privacy, and that politicians largely shun the topic of privacy in policy development, referring it to celebratory speeches and platitudes. The Commission calls for a political strategy to make sure that policy development is in line with societal values and fundamental human rights.
In this workshop, a panel of experts will discuss the following questions:
• Does the EUs active stance on the use of data paralyse national governments from taking action?
• Is there a need for political action at the national level? If yes, in what areas? And how much room for manoeuver is there for European governments in an area heavily regulated by EU?
• Why has privacy largely been a politically ignored topic? What does it take for politicians to become engaged? Is a scandal needed?
• Do people care about privacy? What do they expect from their national politicians in this area?
We also invite the audience to partake in the discussion.
