Friday Lunchtime Lecture: Data protection in developing countries

With technology becoming ever more widely used in our daily activities, our digital footprints are getting bigger. Our online activities are being captured – from shopping to socialising – and creating an unprecedented number of data points. More and more companies are creating and selling their products with customer demographics in mind. Central to this issue the control and use of personal data - and how people's privacy and personal data are being protected. Yet legislative protections and practices are often weak, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where much of the world's population is just getting online. This discussion will present the challenges to developing and enforcing data protection legislation in such countries, drawing on recent research compiled by the Web Foundation. About the speaker Craig leads the Web Foundation’s policy work across our digital equality and citizen participation programmes. He brings to the role a wealth of expertise in governance, transparency, development, and using technology for social change.