Programme Overview

A PROGRAMME WITH TOP-LEVEL EXPERTS

The Privacy Symposium will give the floor to over 300 top-level speakers during more than 100 sessions from May 12 to 16, 2025. The conference provides a unique opportunity to meet with and learn from data protection authorities, practitioners and researchers who will gather to discuss the latest developments and future evolution of data protection. It aims to facilitate international dialogue, cooperation and convergence. It is also designed to enable each participant to develop new perspectives on data protection and compliance and to acquire first-hand knowledge from top experts.

Coming soon: Privacy Symposium conference detailed session schedule 2025 

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

The programme of the upcoming Privacy Symposium edition is organised in several thematic tracks of sessions: (click on each title to learn more)

This track will focus on the dynamic interplay between privacy and freedom of expression, two rights that are essential for personal autonomy and democratic engagement. It will explore the ways in which privacy protections enable freedom of expression, the risks of data surveillance on open discourse, and the challenges of balancing these rights in an era of digital information and regulatory policies.

This track will focus on international cooperation and convergence in data protection regulations and international standards. It will address and discuss the most recent and upcoming evolutions in data protection regulations at national, regional and international levels. It intends to explore the potential for international cooperation and convergence in the domain of data protection and privacy law.

This track will focus on the dynamic landscape of AI’s intersection with compliance, emphasising the imperative of establishing trustable, transparent, and accountable AI systems. It will discuss the intricate links between AI and aspects such as data ownership, intellectual property rights, safety, and security. Moreover, the track will dissect the evolving landscape of AI regulations and the pursuit of an international regulatory framework. 

This track will focus on data protection compliance with emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, Metaverse, Quantum, Blockchain. It will bring together technology experts and data protection authorities to discuss technology related challenges and opportunities for data protection. 

This track will focus on effective implementation and compliance with data protection laws. It will give the floor to data protection authorities, practitioners and other stakeholders to shed light and share their views on how to best comply with the rules. It will also explore grey areas and challenges to be addressed. 

This track will focus on challenges and solutions to secure and protect personal data. It will address cybersecurity related threats and concerns, as well as technology developments to support data protection by design and by default, including authentication and encryption mechanisms. 

This track will focus on the human, social and economic aspects of data protection compliance. It will discuss the impact on the society, as well as the economic dimension of privacy. It will explore how data protection compliance is changing our way of life and the way the economy works.

This track will delve into the foundational principles underpinning the concept of privacy, considering it as both a personal and social good that shapes identity, autonomy, and human dignity. By discussing privacy through various philosophical lenses, it will examine the ethical justifications for privacy rights, the societal implications of privacy erosion, and the evolving definitions of privacy in the digital age. The track aims to build a deeper understanding of privacy’s value and the moral responsibilities it entails in an increasingly interconnected world.

The DG Santé is establishing the foundations of the future European Health Data Space (EHDS) to enhance citizens’ control on their medical data while facilitating secondary use of data by researchers. Other regulations, such as the Artificial Intelligence Act, will complement this framework. This track will discuss the impact of the ongoing regulatory changes to support secondary use of data in Europe and beyond. It will bring together authorities and other stakeholders to discuss this evolution. 

This track will focus on the question of trust and accountability. It will discuss the instruments, tools and solutions to support data protection, including Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PET). It will discuss topics such as data pseudonymization, anonymization and synthetic data, as well as certification and other accountability mechanisms.

This track will focus on research and innovation in the domain of data protection and compliance. It will involve the research community, both academic and industrial research, together with authorities and practitioners to review and discuss the latest research and development results.

This track will take place in Italian. The Italian programme is coordinated by the Italian Institute for Privacy and Data Protection (IIP) in cooperation with several Italian privacy and data protection organisations.

Queste sessioni si svolgeranno in italiano. Il programma in italiano è coordinato dall’Istituto Italiano per la Privacy e la Valorizzazione dei Dati (IIP) in collaborazione con diverse organizzazioni italiane per la privacy e la protezione dei dati.

The ‘Deep Dive In’ sessions will offer a selection of longer sessions of two hours designed to help DPOs and practitioners comply with complex regulatory obligations: one hour to listen from top experts and authorities, followed by one hour of open question and answers with the audience.

This track will feature presentations of selected papers from the Privacy Symposium Call for Papers and discussion among the research community. The Call for Papers aims to identify original papers from researchers and senior practitioners addressing challenges related to data protection, regulatory compliance, and innovative technologies.