Privacy by Design Conference Lessons
–Excerpts From Speakers Demonstrate The Ongoing Importance Of Privacy For Business and Society–
Montreal, Canada – December 10, 2001 – The second annual Privacy by Design conference taught business executives, legal staff and chief privacy officers about strategies and technologies to turn privacy into a competitive advantage. The conference, hosted by Zero-Knowledge Systems, featured addresses by John Patrick, IBM’s VP of Internet technology, US Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology Philip J. Bond, and presentations by senior executives from companies including Bell Canada, DaimlerChrysler, DoubleClick, Earthlink, Hewlett Packard, Nokia, Oracle and Sun Microsystems.
Privacy by Design 2001 was sponsored by IBM, Deloitte and Touche, Privacy Council, Bell, Collier Shannon Scott, DoubleClick, HP, and Watchfire. Red Herring was the exclusive media sponsor. Beginning with an understanding of the risks and challenges businesses and organizations face today, discussion and debate focused on the comprehensive, technology-based solutions that deliver value to business today. Those interested in next year’s conference can sign up for the Privacy by Design newsletter at: http://www.zeroknowledge.com/privacybydesign2001.
Privacy by Design Conference Excerpts
* Austin Hill, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Zero-Knowledge Systems, opened the conference by explaining that privacy and security are mutually dependent, and it is in the best interests of society and business to align them rather than pursue one at the expense of the other.
“A lot is being said about the concept of balancing the need for personal privacy against the need for security, but society and business can benefit most by focusing on how we can align privacy and security. Every entity in society is collecting and amassing personal information about customers, employees, members and citizens,” said Mr. Hill. “In the years to come, this information will continue to multiply and, along with it, so will the need for businesses, governments and organizations to responsibly protect and manage the information it collects. Companies value this information for business operations and customer service. Consumers value it because it relates directly to them and their personal privacy. The simple fact is that businesses that succeed in today’s privacy-conscious climate will do so by building privacy into their infrastructure and operations. This is achieved by merging sound policies and practices with privacy and security technologies.”
* John Patrick, IBM’s VP of Internet Technology, gave the conference keynote address and outlined why privacy is an important element in emerging technologies.
“The big picture is that we are at the very beginning of the Internet. The number of people actually doing something on the Internet as a percentage of the world’s population rounds off at about 4 per cent. Every day we learn something new that is possible, but there is a gap between what we expect and what we get on the Internet. We can close the gap with two things: technology and the attitude of the leaders and institutions such as governments, businesses, hospitals and universities,” said Mr. Patrick. “Privacy is a deep issue that is at the core of every database, file transaction and you need a framework in mind for how to do this. We need to continue to evolve higher levels and work together and not compete on privacy and trust. The real question is whether we can move fast enough to make sure the potential of eBusiness is realized, because clearly privacy and trust are the enablers. This glass is half full, not half empty. We need to begin to think differently. The next generation Internet has a lot of powerful ideas but we need to implement them simply and listen to the customer. With privacy this is so crucial.”
* Philip J. Bond, US Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology, gave the concluding luncheon address and outlined the actions the Bush administration has taken to ensure online privacy, while also recognizing the industry-led efforts that have made strides in the U.S.
“Business has made progress in providing meaningful privacy solutions and protections in response to consumer and market demands for them. The best companies understand what increasingly informed and savvy consumers will expect from them. The growing number of Chief Privacy Officers points to a trend that government needs to understand fully – management of information has now become a standard operating function for business,” said Under Secretary Bond. “This is an area where companies seek competitive advantage, and many of you are tasked with developing this advantage — or helping others find it. This process is subject to many forces, including global regulatory regimes and business objectives. An equally important factor — and a reason driving our need to understand this process — is the necessity to maintain the proper treatment of personal data as it crosses many boundaries and fulfills many uses. As we continue to work towards notices becoming an accepted part of all consumer websites, we would look to private sector leadership to take the next step and identify meaningful ways to more effectively communicate their privacy practices to consumers.”
About Zero-Knowledge Systems, Inc.
Zero-Knowledge® Systems (www.zeroknowledge.com) is a provider of security and privacy solutions for Global 2000 businesses. Through a combination of industry-leading technology and world-recognized security and privacy expertise, Zero-Knowledge develops solutions that enable enterprises to ensure the privacy of customer information assets, build brand around consumer trust, and lower the cost of complying with global privacy regulations and industry standards. The company’s product line includes Enterprise Privacy Manager (EPM) for business, and Freedom Privacy & Security tools for consumers. EPM gives enterprises the ability to both protect and utilize customer information. Freedom Privacy & Security Tools allows individuals to retain their security and privacy while using the Internet. Zero-Knowledge Systems is headquartered in Montreal, Quebec with offices in San Francisco, California. Journalists can visit the online pressroom at: http://www.zeroknowledge.com/media.