Alongside #CybersecurityAwarenessMonth, the 44th Global Privacy Forum (GPA) kicked off in Istanbul on Tuesday. The GPA brings together data privacy authorities and key stakeholders from across the globe to build consensus and provide leadership at an international level in data protection and privacy.
This year’s theme, “A Matter of Balance: Privacy in an era of Rapid Technological Advancement,” is very timely and in line with our rapidly evolving work. With each new generation of technology comes new and more sophisticated threats. This year’s event addresses issues such as AI and privacy, big data, and consumer rights. Today, the mobile industry connects over 5.3 billion people across the globe. As the source of connectivity, our industry is on the frontline of battling each new security threat.
What is the mobile industry doing?
In our new report “Safety, privacy and security across the mobile ecosystem“we unpack, among other things, how the mobile industry is working hard to educate consumers and build trust in its services. Each new iteration of technology has introduced new features, such as encryption and user identification validation, which make mobile services increasingly secure and reduce the potential for fraud, identity theft and other possible risks. Importantly, the trust that underpins these services and allows people across the world to communicate, trade, share ideas and interact, cannot be taken for granted.
The GSMA and the mobile industry have developed a set of principles to guide their actions in protecting consumers and securing mobile communication networks. We also call on policymakers and regulators to take a broad view of the issues at stake, in order to help develop multi-stakeholder solutions that best protect the overall interests of consumers, businesses and civil societies.
MWC Africa, M360 Latin America and the Ministerial Programme at MWC Barcelona
As part of the our role in representing the mobile industry, one of our central pillars is convening, where we bring all relevant stakeholders to the table to discuss the pertinent issues in mobile telecommunications digital policy and learn from each other. We do this by creating regional and global platforms that allow industry players, data protection authorities, and other interested parties meet. Privacy and security always play a key role in our headline sessions as the issues continue to evolve and change. Many countries are at different stages in their data privacy journey, so these events are key to helping them learn from each other so that they can increase protections quickly.
This week MWC Africa takes place in-person in Kigali for the first time since the outbreak of Covid-19. We will see policymakers from across the continent come together to debate policies and issues to accelerate and safeguard Africa’s digital future. Cybersecurity is also high on the agenda in the Latin America region, and in late November we will convene in Mexico City for M360 Latin America. Looking forward, in February regulators, policymakers, and government leaders from across the globe will gather at the Ministerial Programme in Barcelona to discuss privacy and other global concerns which affect safe connectivity for citizens across the planet. If you want to know more join us for one of these events.
Our Capacity Building programme is another way to bring people together to share experiences. We offer a range of free training courses for policymakers and regulators, both face-to-face and online. To learn more about our programme or to register for an upcoming online course, visit our eLearning portal.
Download our Safety, Privacy and Security in the mobile ecosystem report here.
This blog is the fourth in a series of posts that look at different aspects of mobile safety and security. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter to keep track of what comes next.