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CERN marked Data Protection Day with ESA and ESO

CERN marked Data Protection Day with ESA and ESO
(Image: CERN)

On 28 January, CERN teamed up with fellow EIROforum organisations ESA and ESO to deliver an eye-opening online event to mark Data Protection Day.

Over 350 participants learned about the snooping virtual eyes and ears of popular social media platforms and web browsers, and were introduced to an AI robotic companion to astronauts on the International Space Station.

Data protection issues affect us all. Lively question and answer (Q&A) sessions followed each of the presentations, confirming that many of us are thinking more and more in our daily lives about how and where our personal data is being collected and used, often in ways we do not expect. During the Q&A, the speakers provided valuable practical methods to mitigate the many risks we all face. Polls taken at the start and end of the event showed that there is keen interest in data privacy topics and it was encouraging that, after hearing from the three speakers, 90% of attendees said they had learned something new and would implement something that they had learned during the event!

This unique opportunity to exchange views and discuss best practices across three different organisations was an excellent complement to the important work that is already taking place here at CERN. The Office of Data Privacy (ODP) is now well established and continues its crucial work to ensure that CERN adopts best practices for handling personal data, in line with Operational Circular No. 11, “The processing of personal data at CERN”. The ODP is supported by the Data Privacy Coordinating Committee (DPCC), which, with its nominated departmental representatives, is ensuring a coherent and harmonised implementation of the rights and obligations set out in OC11.

If you were not able to join the Data Protection Day event, you can still watch a recording on the ODP website.

Our warm thanks to the ODP and the representatives of ESA and ESO for this great initiative.

If you want to learn more about data privacy at CERN, sign up for the privacy training and keep up to date with all data privacy issues via the ODP website.