The Gibraltar Regulatory Authority attended the Global Privacy Assembly in Istanbul, Turkey, on 25th - 28th October.

A statement from the GRA follows below:

The GPA  connects over 130 data protection and privacy authorities worldwide and is a premier forum for  international collaboration in data protection. 

As the services organisations and citizens use become ever more digital, international  cooperation and the GPA’s role as an international forum is becoming increasingly important.  The GPA has various working groups, which the GRA participates in, and involves active year round cooperation. Amongst the various items reported on at the GPA was a cybersecurity  project led by the GRA, in relation to “credential stuffing” – a known cyber threat that exploit’s  users’ tendency to reuse the same password, meaning that a leak in one organisation can  expose the accounts of a user across many websites and services. 

The GPA deliberated on several topics including – 1) Artificial Intelligence (“AI”): its power, how  it may become ubiquitous - “around us like electricity” and the importance of ensuring that the  power of AI is guided and controlled for the benefit of all, in particular to protect against unfair  practices and discrimination; 2) Facial Recognition Technology: world developments  highlighting the risks of bias and discrimination; 3) Privacy by Design: the importance of privacy  being considered at the outset when developing technology and its role in promoting innovation  and progress; 4) Surveillance: in particular the need to do more, support, and incentivise  privacy friendly models as a viable alternative to intrusive tracking; and, 5) protecting children  in the digital age: the rights of every child must be respected, protected and fulfilled in the digital  environment - the best interests of the child should be the primary consideration when designing  and developing online services for them. 

Further to its participation in the GPA’s events, the GRA also signed a memorandum of  understanding (“MoU”) with the authorities of the United Kingdom and Malta in recognition of,  and to further develop, the longstanding and close relationship with both jurisdictions  particularly in the field of data protection. Sharing experiences and best practice, joint research  projects and mutual assistance are key aspects covered in the MoUs. Our digital economies  operate in a global environment, which need and benefit from international cooperation to  support and incentivise best practice and technological development with adequate  safeguards. The MoUs are a further demonstration of the GRA’s collaborative efforts to support and take part in the development of a digital world with high standards for the benefit of citizens  and business.