{"id":75225,"date":"2021-04-06T15:14:24","date_gmt":"2021-04-06T13:14:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hiig.de\/?p=75225"},"modified":"2024-01-31T15:24:29","modified_gmt":"2024-01-31T14:24:29","slug":"data-sovereignty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hiig.de\/en\/data-sovereignty\/","title":{"rendered":"We need to talk about data – New report reframes the debate around data sovereignty"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The dueling slogans: \u201cfree flow of data\u201d and \u201cdata sovereignty\u201d actually prevent seriously addressing the complex challenges of cross-border data flows.  A report, released this week by the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network, reframes the debate to foster a more nuanced approach of this critical topic for the digital society.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lorrayne Porciuncula is the co-author, with Bertrand de La Chapelle, of a new report We Need to Talk About Data: Framing the Debate Around Free Flow of Data and Data Sovereignty<\/a><\/em> from the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network. Released on 6 April 2021, the Report seeks to unpack these two concepts and frame some of the key issues around cross-border data flows. In this short article, Ms. Porciuncula explains why this Report was needed to foster a better common understanding of policy approaches around data and kick-start a more nuanced debate around this important topic.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Data is everywhere and can be categorised in multiple ways<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Data is everywhere and it is an increasingly valuable asset for firms, governments, and society at large. Data flows are considered a key enabler of digital transformation, critical for healthcare, new business models, education, or agriculture, to name just a few. However, as data becomes more prevalent in our lives and starts to map and understand not only cross-border services but also our health and preferences,  many concerns arise, related to trust, as in privacy and security, but also trade, competition, skills, economic imbalances, societal impacts, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talks about data are taking place but not leading to much progress<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Due to the importance of data, it is no surprise that the issue is high on international policy agendas (from the G20 or G7, to organisations such as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the African Union, or the World Trade Organisation, just to name a few examples. However, international debates are yet to map clear paths forward on how to organise our common datasphere – understood here as holistic comprehension of this new space, spans encompassing all data, personal and non-personal, which is collected, stored, and processed across sectors and territories. Ultimately this is about our shared digital future and about how we collaborate to govern it. The Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network Report tries to advance on that front – identifying our common challenges and also innovative solutions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The start of a much-needed debate<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Over a period of 2 months, I&JPN  brought together actors from governments, the private sector, civil society, technical community international organisations, and academia to delve into two key arguably polarising concepts: \u201cfree flow of data\u201d and \u201cdata sovereignty\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A survey of over 100 respondents, 4 roundtable discussions, and over 30 interviews with experts helped us better understand actors\u2019 perspectives. All participants were encouraging this effort to shift the debate towards reconciling these apparently conflicting approaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The policy speak around data is full of analogies (data as the new oil, air, currency, infrastructure, etc), but what do words have on policy action? In doing this Report we did not aim to be exhaustive but to offer a holistic snapshot of the concerns and perspectives from prominent stakeholders to kick-start further debate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the full report here<\/a><\/p>\n \n\n\n\n

A first pass has lead to interesting conclusions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Report presents three key findings for moving forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n