The automation of privacy- and data protection impact assessments with Dariusz Kloza, István Böröcz and Marco Giacalone (VUB-LSTS-d.pia.lab)
Co-organized with the Brussels Laboratory for Data Protection & Privacy Impact Assessments (d.pia.lab) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
It is well known that the new legal framework for personal data protection in the European Union, applicable from May 2018, brings to the fore a plethora of novel solutions aiming, inter alia, at better safeguarding the interests of individuals whenever their personal data are being handled. One of these novelties is an obligation imposed on data controllers to conduct a data protection impact assessment (DPIA) for those processing operations that could present a “high risk” to the “rights and freedoms of natural persons”. Despite these novelties still posing questions as to their practical application, they already have caused development of dedicated guidance material, templates, tools, etc. – all aimed at making possible and facilitating their usage, including the conduct of a DPIA.
Amongst these, in particular, we have recently observed a proliferation of automated tools for conducting a DPIA. Various software developers have already offered to diverse clients varied pieces of software that – upon being fed with some descriptions, etc. – would help making an analysis of the intended processing operations and often recommend measures to lower the level of risk to the individuals, maximize benefits or even – if possible – to eliminate negative consequences entirely. These tools merit academic attention not only because of their novel character, uncharted potential or vulnerabilities, doubts about their quality and effectiveness, but – more importantly – because their usage has ramifications for the level of protection of individual interests. Thus there is a need to evaluate the extent to which these tools can contribute, if ever, to offering such a protection. To that end, during this talk the speakers will present the state-of-the-art of the development of such software and will offer a tentative list of their evaluation criteria with a conclusion providing a set of suggestions for their practical application and, whenever needed, refinement.
István Böröcz, LLM is a researcher at the research group on Law, Science, Technology & Society (LSTS). He is a member of the Brussels Laboratory for Data Protection & Privacy Impact Assessments (d.pia.lab). He obtained his LLM in Law and Technology at Tilburg University (2016) and his postgraduate specialist diploma in information and communication technology law at the University of Pécs (2015). He obtained his law degree (JD) at the University of Pécs (2013). He is interested in the notion of risk to the rights and freedoms of the individual along with the legal, theoretical and practical issues of Human Enhancement Technologies (HETs), with special focus on cognitive enhancement. He is involved in several EU co-funded research projects, such as PERSONA, STAR, MaTHiSiS, FORENSOR, SUCCESS and PARENT. He is a member of the ethical advisory board of the H2020 project CUIDAR.
Marco Giacalone is a post-doctoral research fellow at the Centre for Law Science Technology and Society (LSTS) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB) and Adjunct Professor at Vesalius College of Brussels. He graduated from the law faculty at the University of Napoli Federico II in 2010 and completed a Specialisation School for Legal Professions (Napoli Federico II) in 2012. In 2016 he has successfully defended his Joint PhD dissertation titled “Dispute Resolution and New IT Realities” between University of Napoli Federico II and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), receiving the title of Doctor Europaeus. He has served as an adjunct professor of IT Law at the Luiss University of Rome and as an academic assistant in Legal Informatics at the University of Napoli Federico II. Marco is a legal expert in the field of Intellectual Property Rights, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), EU regulations and the application of economic principles into the field of law. Moreover, his other main scientific interests are in the domains of sports law (in particular Media Law), privacy, new technologies and A.I. and law.
Dariusz (Darek) Kloza, LLM is a full-time researcher with the Research Group on Law, Science, Technology and Society (LSTS) at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). He is a founding member of the Brussels Laboratory for Data Protection & Privacy Impact Assessments (d.pia.lab) at VUB-LSTS. He also freelances at the Centre for Direct Democracy Studies (CDDS) at University of Białystok. His expertise concentrates on the governance of privacy and personal data protection, in particular on the notion of impact assessments for emerging technologies. He has been involved in a number of EU co-funded research projects, such as PIAF, ADVISE, EPINET, LASIE, FORENSOR, PARENT, MATHISIS, PHAEDRA, PHAEDRA II, STAR and PERSONA. He holds both an LL.M. in Law and Technology (2010) from the Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology, and Society (TILT) at Tilburg University (with distinction) and a master degree in law from the University of Białystok (2008), having also studied at the University of Copenhagen (2007-2008).
The Brussels Laboratory for Data Protection & Privacy Impact Assessments, or d.pia.lab, connects basic, methodological and applied research, provides training and delivers policy advice related to impact assessments in the areas of innovation and technology development. Whilst legal aspects of privacy and personal data protection constitute our core expertise, the Laboratory mobilises other disciplines including ethics, philosophy, surveillance studies and science, technology & society (STS) studies. Established in November 2015, the Laboratory constitutes a part of and builds upon the experience of the Research Group on Law, Science, Technology & Society (LSTS) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Belgium.
Registration: algorithms-platforms@smitresearch.be

Date
8 Mar 2018Hours
From 12:00 to 14:00
Program
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