6.5 KiB
IGF 2026 WS #77 Keeping data flows in motion through privacy and trust
Description
Cross-border data flows underpin the modern digital economy, enabling international trade, innovation, cybersecurity, financial services, research collaboration, and the delivery of digital products and services. At the same time, growing concerns around privacy and security are contributing to increasingly fragmented approaches to data governance and restrictions on data transfers across borders. Such fragmentation risks limiting innovation, reducing economic opportunities, increasing compliance burdens, and weakening the benefits that trusted data flows provide to businesses, governments, and individuals. As governments seek to safeguard legitimate public policy objectives, including privacy protection, national security, and law enforcement needs, there is an increasing need to identify approaches that strengthen trust while preserving the open and interconnected nature of the digital economy. Building confidence in cross-border data flows requires transparent governance frameworks, interoperable rules, effective safeguards for personal data, and practical tools that enable organizations to meet these objectives in practice. Among these, PETs are emerging as an important means of minimizing privacy risks and supporting compliance with diverse regulatory frameworks. Realizing their potential, however, requires policy environments that encourage their adoption alongside interoperable governance approaches and risk-based regulatory frameworks. This workshop will explore how policy and technology can work together to enable trusted cross-border data flows while protecting privacy, supporting security objectives, and fostering innovation and economic growth. Drawing on international experiences and emerging best practices, participants will discuss how governments, businesses, and other stakeholders can advance interoperable approaches to data governance create enabling conditions for the adoption of PETs and other trusted data-sharing mechanisms, and strengthen confidence in cross-border data sharing without creating unnecessary barriers to innovation or international cooperation. The discussion will examine how governance frameworks, technical safeguards can reinforce one-another to build trust in digital ecosystems while avoiding the fragmentation that undermines the benefits of the global digital economy.
Policy Question(s)
- How can policymakers enable trusted cross-border data flows while safeguarding privacy and security?
- How can governance frameworks, technical safeguards, and accountability mechanisms work together to strengthen trust in cross-border data sharing and improve interoperability across jurisdictions?
- What policy approaches can encourage the responsible adoption of PETs alongside internationally interoperable data governance frameworks to support innovation, economic growth, and digital trust?
Expected Outcomes
The session will identify practical approaches for enabling trusted cross-border data flows while maintaining high standards of privacy, security, and accountability. Participants will exchange perspectives on emerging regulatory frameworks, international cooperation mechanisms, and governance models that support trusted and interoperable digital environments. The discussion will contribute to ongoing international efforts on data governance, privacy, and trusted government access to data by highlighting opportunities for greater policy interoperability and multistakeholder collaboration. Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of the relationship between cross-border data flows, privacy protection, economic growth, and digital trust, as well as practical approaches for balancing these objectives in an increasingly interconnected digital economy.
Reference Document
Reference Document
Format
Roundtable Duration (minutes): 60 Format description: A Round Table format is best-placed for the type of cross-sector, collaborative session that we envisage. It will be optimal for establishing an atmosphere that ensures both participants and panellists can engage in fruitful discussion, and that they can do so on equal footing through a seating arrangement conducive to multi-person dialogue. To allow time for in-depth discussion and also accommodate a constructive Q&A section to address the questions, feedback and thoughts of the audience, 60 minutes is the most suitable timeframe for the session.
Hybrid Format
Hybrid Format: o Prior to the session: to ensure speakers and attendees get the most out of the session, organizers will make use of the session’s page on the IGF website and social media channels to share preparatory material and kick-start a dialogue. A preparation call will be organised for all speakers, moderators and co-organisers so that everyone has the chance to meet and prepare for the session. o During the session: the moderators are experienced in animating multistakeholder discussions and will complement each other in merging onsite and online speakers and attendees to the optimum. Onsite participants will be encouraged to connect to the online platform to stay informed and engage with discussions in the chat. o Following the session: moderators will encourage participants to make use of the IGF website and social media channels to share further comments and contribute to the session’s report.
Organizers
Organizer 1: Lorrayne Porciuncula, The Datasphere Initiative Organizer 2: Suto Timea, International Chamber of Commerce Organizer 3: Chelsea ONYANGO, International Chamber of Commerce
Speakers
Speaker 1: Kushal Prakash, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG) Speaker 2: Lorrayne Porciuncula, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC) Speaker 3: Meguro Maiko, Intergovernmental Organization, Asia-Pacific Group Speaker 4: Manal Ismail, Government, African Group Speaker 5: Robyn Greene, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG) Speaker 6: Suto Timea, Private Sector, Eastern European Group
Moderator
Timea Suto, Private Sector, Eastern European Group
Online Moderator
Chelsea ONYANGO, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Rapporteur
Maria Clara Franca, Private Sector, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Participant Benefits
What will participants gain from attending this session?
SDGs
- Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
- Partnerships for the Goals