This position combines content, solving privacy issues, with management responsibility for the ins and outs of a team of specialized lawyers. It feels like the ideal middle ground between the previous roles I've had as a lawyer and in-house counsel. In 2006 I started as a lawyer at an Amsterdam niche firm specializing in IP and IT law, moving to an in-house position at a large pension fund and then Philips in 2014. There I worked as an in-house privacy lawyer for several years until my move to Considerati. A wonderful company where I had a great time. At Considerati my role is broader, and I like that.
Perhaps because I read 1984 at a very young age, which made a huge impression on me. Moreover, during my law studies I had a brilliant teacher in philosophy of law, who used the movie hit The Matrix in his lectures to explain key concepts and got the whole room thinking about what would be 'good' for society. Because I chose to major in Internet law during my doctoral studies, I rolled into the privacy domain.
Considerati's mission is "fitting technology into society." We love technology and want to contribute to the landing of innovative applications in society, and fitting them into legal and ethical frameworks. In short, we think along with our clients, provide solutions instead of problems, and have an eye for what is and will be going on in society and in the areas of policy, legislation and ethics. In my view, the sector does not need scaremongering, but well-considered advice based on specialist knowledge and a broad perspective. We use that knowledge to solve the questions of today and those of tomorrow.
As terrible as the consequences of the current pandemic are, a side effect of this crisis is that the discussion about the importance of data protection and privacy is increasingly focusing on the issues that really matter. Among them: what kind of society do we desire? How much freedom should an individual have in relation to the whole? Should we make data sharing mandatory in certain cases? How far should control go when public health is at stake? This side effect is positive, because answers to these questions can be found through public debate. I foresee these questions soon being discussed at birthdays, rather than whether the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) prohibits class photos or sending a gift to the private address of a colleague who has become a father.
The last three books I read are all recommended: It's war but no one sees it by Huib Modderkolk, Never split the difference by Chris Voss, and Mythos by Stephen Fry. Laughing out loud some Greek mythology (re)reading!
In the In Motion section, we will keep you informed of personnel changes in the privacy domain. Are you also In Motion? Let us know!
If, like Judith van Schie, you enjoy contributing to this column, please pass it along at info@privacy-web.nl.
