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Debbie Reynolds “The Data Diva” talks to Victoria Beckman, Associate General Counsel - Security & Privacy, Shopify. We discuss the importance of pursuing one's interests and being open to new opportunities in technology fields. We also explore the complex relationship between cybersecurity and privacy, third-party risk management and compliance challenges, and the increasing importance of supply chain and cybersecurity. Additionally, we stress the importance of diversity in the tech industry and the need for representation and role models to encourage more women and people of color to enter the field. Debbie Reynolds seeks advice from Beckman on collaborating with different groups of people in a corporate environment, and Beckman shares her experience of transitioning from a law firm to a corporation. She emphasizes the importance of being approachable, explaining things in a way the receiver will understand, and putting herself in their shoes to find creative solutions. Reynolds acknowledges that Beckman is bridging the gap between the theory of the law and the mechanics and operational side of what the teams need to do, highlighting the importance of understanding the resources and tools available to achieve the desired outcome and her hope for Data Privacy in the future.

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Debbie Reynolds, “The Data Diva” talks to Isabella De Michelis, CEO and Founder, ErnieApp, Your Privacy Knowledge Manager. We discuss Data Privacy and the effects of GDPR, and the importance of striking a balance between rights and technology. Isabella's background in working for large corporations. Privacy has a geopolitical dimension, and the Europeans created the GDPR to protect data sovereignty. The US and China have different approaches to privacy regulation, with the US being more business-focused and the Chinese government having more control. The GDPR and other European regulations are designed to protect individuals' rights and allow them to monetize their data. The US is still struggling to create a federal privacy law, and companies are trying to get as much data as possible without a right to be forgotten. There is a connection between Data Privacy and competition, with access to data being the main link. Isabella discusses the implications of AI on the market, noting that it carries enormous costs and creates an unsurmountable barrier to entry for new players. She also discusses the need for governments to have a cut of the profits and for users to have the right to choose how their data is used. Finally, she proposed a two-sided policy of privacy and competition to redistribute the value created by the interaction between humans and machines and shares her hope for Data Privacy in the future.

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Debbie Reynolds, “The Data Diva” talks to Igor Barshteyn, who is a Senior Manager, Information Security & Compliance Expert. We discuss Igor’s work in information security and data privacy and his passion for the implications of artificial intelligence on data privacy. He is a signatory of the Future of Life Institute's open letter asking for a pause in the deployment of AI systems to the public. He believes regulation with mandatory penalties is needed to protect data privacy and that the EU AI Act will set the standard for AI regulation worldwide. Igor believes that the US should have mandatory penalties for companies that fail to protect user data privacy rather than relying on voluntary frameworks. He also believes that AI models should be decentralized so that users can have more control over their data rather than relying on large companies to store and manage it. Igor believes that this will become more important as the world becomes more geopolitically unstable and there is more competition in terms of hacking and cyber warfare. Igor Barshteyn and Debbie Reynolds discuss the importance of data privacy and security and the need for companies to provide training and education to their staff in order to ensure that they are up to date with the latest technologies and regulations. We also discussed the need for individuals to be aware of the risks associated with using technology and to read privacy policies and end-user license agreements and his hope for Data Privacy in the future.

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Debbie Reynolds, “The Data Diva” talks to Cari Miller, Sr. Principal, Practice Lead, Responsible AI Governance & Research at The Center for Inclusive Change. We discuss the lack of employee data rights in the US and Cari Miller's research into the Full Spectrum Employee Data Taxonomy, which includes PII, sensitive voluntary information, credentials, position history, and company/enterprise data. We discuss the implications of AI, such as the over-collection of data, systemic bias, and the need for guardrails. We also discuss New York State's requirement for companies to do audits of AI systems. We conclude that governance does not have to be difficult, but it is important to think through and figure out what makes the most sense. Cari is concerned about the lack of rules and regulations surrounding the use of AI in the employee life cycle, which can lead to discrimination, alienation, and a lack of well-being. She believes that the right guardrails need to be put in place to ensure that AI is used responsibly and that it is tested and built by diverse people. Debbie Reynolds agrees and brings up an example of how AI can be used to target people with disabilities. Cari Miller discussed the need for data minimization, usage assessments, and deletion rules in order to protect data privacy. She also highlighted the need for a US Federal Data Privacy law to avoid companies having to comply with different laws in different states. Finally, she discussed the need to protect children's data, as it is often used to make decisions about them, and her hope for Data Privacy in the future.

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Debbie Reynolds, “The Data Diva” talks to Stephen Lawton, Founder of AFAB Consulting LLC, Cybersecurity Expert and Technology Journalist. We discuss the importance of understanding the history of technology, the potential issues with AI, and the need to be aware of service-level agreements when using cloud services. We also discuss the potential for data to be shifted from one country to another and the need to be aware of cloud services regulations. AI has been around for a while but is now breaking into the consumer market. Cyber insurance companies are using AI to analyze submissions from potential customers, and self-attestation is falling out of favor. Companies need to have good network hygiene, use AI to analyze data and have a human analyst to fine-tune. Cyber insurance policies for small businesses may differ from those for larger companies. Privacy laws are becoming more important this year. We discuss the complexity of privacy laws in the US and the need for a U.S. Federal privacy law. We discuss the importance of cybersecurity becoming a board-level responsibility and the need for more verification and less self-attestation. Lastly, they discussed the difficulty of passing a federal privacy law due to the lack of trust in Washington.  and his hope for Data Privacy in the future.

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Debbie Reynolds, “The Data Diva” talks to Andowah Newton, Former Vice President of Legal Affairs for  LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. We discuss Newton’s background in math, accounting, and auditing and how she became well-versed in technology through computer classes and gaming. She also talks about her international experience, including her experience of having dual law degrees from Cornell Law Scholl in the US and The Univerity of Paris at the Sorbonne in France, and a time when she was the only American lawyer in the judicial chambers at the Hague, and how it gave her a unique perspective on international data privacy issues. Newton discusses her experience dealing with technology and data privacy issues while working for LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, a European company that encompassed 70 different brands and several different industries. We discuss the use of advanced technology in the beauty and fashion industry, which allows for the personalization of products and the collection of more specific personal data. We also discuss the potential privacy concerns related to data collection in the beauty and fashion industry and highlight the need for companies to reevaluate the data they are collecting and the importance of obtaining informed consent from customers. Newton analyzes the cultural and legal differences between the US and Europe, focusing on privacy, fashion, celebrity culture, and legal systems. She notes that the US has a more flexible approach to laws and values privacy less than European countries, which have a more structured and formal approach. She also highlights the differences between the common law system in the US and the code-based civil law system in Europe, how these differences contribute to the gaps in data privacy laws, and her hope for Data Privacy in the future.

Correction: Ms. Newton would like to correct the statement about her time at the Hague made in the podcast audio.  During her time at the Hague, Ms. Newton was the only American lawyer in the judicial chambers at the Hague, not the only American lawyer at the Hague.

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Debbie Reynolds, “The Data Diva” talks to Augustine Fou, FouAnalytics, Independent Ad Fraud Researcher, Marketing Science Consulting Group, Inc. We discuss Augustine's journey in analytics, the importance of marketing on the Internet, and the rise of AdTech targeting and its implications for privacy. We also discuss Augustine's platform, Fou Analytics, which is focused on analytics for digital media. Dr. Fou explains that third-party tracking of individuals is a privacy issue and that cookies are just a convenient metaphor for it. He also explains that even if third-party cookies are removed, tracking of individuals without their consent is still an issue. He further explains that fingerprinting is becoming more prevalent as a way to uniquely identify users without using PII. Dr. Fou discussed the dangers of data brokers, biometrics, and bots in relation to privacy and accuracy. He warned people to be more cautious and suspicious of anything they see online and suggested that advertisers use less targeting data as it is not helping their advertising campaigns. He also suggested using a third-party authenticator instead of biometrics for login purposes. Dr. Fou discussed how digital marketing should be done like it was in 1995, with advertisements bought from legitimate publishers, to restore the original contract of the internet between consumers, publishers, and advertisers. He also discussed how bots have been used to create fake content for websites for the last 20 years and how this has caused an increase in fraud in digital advertising. Finally, he suggested that if the original contract of the internet is restored, it will lead to better digital marketing, more revenue for legitimate publishers, and better privacy for consumers, and shares his hope for Data Privacy in the future.

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Debbie Reynolds, “The Data Diva” talks to Jamal Ahmed, Global Privacy Consultant, Kazient Privacy Experts. We discuss Debbie's admiration for Jamal's ability to create a rich community of people around Data Privacy and Data Protection. They also discuss Jamal's background as a non-lawyer in data protection and how he brings his diverse experiences into privacy. Jamal believes that anyone can have a thriving career in anything, and that it is important to recognize the transferable skills and values that one already has. He also believes that it is important to be able to speak to people in a language they understand and to create a strong community of like-minded people who are open to sharing and helping each other. He also believes that there are people in the industry with both a fixed and a growth mindset. Jamal Ahmed believes that AI can be used to enhance businesses, and people should have a growth mindset to use it to their advantage. He is concerned about the UK's direction in terms of privacy and human rights and prefers the UK's principled approach to AI compared to the EU's prescriptive approach. Jamal and Debbie discuss the potential dangers of AI and the importance of understanding the GDPR and the OECD guidelines in order to ensure data is kept secure and private. They also discuss the need for businesses to understand their responsibilities and for privacy professionals to be able to explain the regulations in an easy to understand way. Jamal shares his experience of being a person of color in the Data Privacy industry and emphasized the importance of striving for excellence to overcome any biases. He also expressed his appreciation for Debbie Reynolds' support and influence in inspiring him and others to pursue their goals and hope for Data Privacy in the future.

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Debbie Reynolds, “The Data Diva” talks to Craig Hamill, Director of Innovation and Technology at UL Research Institutes. We discuss digital safety, which is an extension of social media, and his work in creating standards and guidelines to ensure that technology is used responsibly. He is also working on building the lab of the future and driving innovation to create a better world. We discuss the potential issues of digital safety, privacy, and transparency that come with the development of AI and ML tools, such as Generative AI models, deep fakes, and Quantum Computing. He highlights the need for standards and safety to protect people from exploitation and misinformation. People are increasingly looking to trust companies and brands with their data in exchange for services and products, but transparency is key in order to ensure that the data is not being misused or sold to third parties. Companies should also provide the option for people to delete their data if they are not comfortable with it being used. We discuss the importance of transparency and accountability when it comes to data and technology, as well as the need for fact-checking and proofreading. They also discussed the implications of taking information at face value and the need for digital safety, and his hope for Data Privacy in the future. 

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Debbie Reynolds, “The Data Diva” talks to Dr. Keeper Sharkey, Founder, and CEO, of ODE L3C, Data Scientist and Expert in Quantum Computing. We discuss her expertise in Quantum Computing which offers an exponential increase in computational power, allowing for faster and more efficient problem-solving than classical computing. This increase in power also poses a threat, as it could potentially be used to break encryption keys and passwords, making data more vulnerable to theft and hacking. Quantum Computing can help solve complex problems quickly, but it can also be used by bad actors to create negative impacts. To protect against this, organizations need to collaborate and share information, and the public needs to be educated on how to protect their data. A US public-private partnership called Infragard is working to eliminate digital exhaust and provide resources to help people protect their data. Dr.Sharkey expresses concern about the use of AI and quantum computing, noting that people are not educated enough to protect themselves and that AI can be used as a weapon. She believes that people should be educated about the potential dangers of AI and that it should be used for good. She also believes that people should be able to retain their privacy and that progress should be made without hate which is her hope for the future.

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