Event

Assessing the role of digital platforms in data governance and ethics

Official virtual event of 2022 UNCTAD E-commerce Week on data and digitalization for development

28 April 2022 | 12pm CEST

E-Commerce and the Digital Economy

Digital transformation contributes to a robust digital economy that benefits everyone in society. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the reliance on e-commerce services and digital platforms and ensuring that people and businesses can take part in both domestic and cross-border e-commerce and make use of various digital solutions is now more crucial than ever for building resilient economies.

The 2022 eCommerce week organised by the UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) and eTrade under the theme: Data and Digitalization for Development, looks at ways to strengthen the ability of developing countries, including least developed countries (LDCs), to continue engaging in and benefiting from e-commerce and the digital economy, to build more resilient and inclusive societies, in a dramatically different post-COVID environment.

This edition puts special emphasis on data and cross-border data flows and the crucial role they play in economic and social development. Reflecting on the wide differences that exist between and within countries to harness data, the conventional, connectivity-related digital divide is being heightened by what can be called a data divide. Countries with limited capacities to turn data into digital intelligence and business opportunities, and use them for economic and social development, are at a clear disadvantage.

Discussions at the eCommerce Week will focus, among other things, on finding ways to reframe and broaden the international policy debate on how to harness cross-border flows of digital data, which are core to all fast-evolving digital technologies, such as data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing and other Internet-based services. It will also shine a light on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted digital transformations globally.

The Event: Assessing the Role of Digital Platforms in Data Governance and Ethics

The World Benchmarking Alliance’s (WBA) session at the eCommerce week discusses how the world’s most influential digital platforms are performing on data governance and ethics as well as policy and regulatory frameworks needed to drive corporate responsibility on these issues. WBA will present novel insights from the Digital Inclusion Benchmark on the performance of digital platforms on data protection and cybersecurity. Lead discussants representing companies and civil society will discuss expectations on best practices, challenges, as well as helpful policy and regulatory approaches for improving corporate performance on data protection and cybersecurity.

How to join the webinar

Register on the UNCTAD website to access the session titled ‘Assessing the Role of Digital Platforms in Data Governance and Ethics’ in the programme and participate.

Speakers

  • Michael Minges, Research Lead, Digital Inclusion Benchmark, World Benchmarking Alliance
  • George Do, Chief Information Security Officer, GoTo
  • Lourdes Montenegro, Lead Digital Sector Transformation, World Benchmarking Alliance – Moderator

 

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