There are less than 2
weeks to go before I attend my first data protection conference of the year. A
bunch of data protection worthies, wingers and associated hangers-on will be in
Brussels for the Computers, Privacy & Data Protection event on 22 – 24 January.
Will this one be an eye-opener, or will it be awful? Will anyone learn anything new?
Perhaps.
The gossip in the shadows
of the conference ought to be about the new crop of data protection officials
that are being appointed to replace those whose time has come to do something
else with their lives. Will the newbies have as firmly-held opinions as their predecessors?
And are they capable of reaching agreement on a common set of really detailed, data
protection laws? I have my doubts. My money’s on an updated Data Protection
Directive in 2015/16, not an unwieldy Data Protection Regulation.
So, how memorable will
this upcoming conference be? I’m expecting it to be an opportunity for a lot of
speakers to describe themselves as a passionate supporter of Edward Snowdon, a passionate
opponent of all things NSA, and for many other speakers to drone on way past
their allocated speaking slot, without much caring about the torture that is
being inflicted on the audience. How many of these speakers will be offering an
assessment as to how realistic it is to implement any of their proposals? Not a
lot, I expect.
But there is always an
opportunity at these events to collect some freebies, chat to some chums and to
gently enquire whether we share the same concerns. And then discuss why it is that these concerns are
not the concerns that are being formally debated at this conference.
And it also ought to give
me more material for future blogs.
I’ve been to an awful
conference
On the 58th
floor of the Shard
The speakers were dire
(Except for ICO choir)
The audience defied
Death by Power Point slide
They demanded to munch
On an early lunch
As the seats were far
too hard
I’ve been to an awful
conference
An international jamboree
Speakers galore
From every shore
With a silent moan
A collective groan
When each presenter took to
the floor
Can the audience take any
more?
They were bored to the Nth
degree
I’ve been to an awful
conference
I’m definitely not going
again
An EU Commissioner rose
and spoke
Hardly anyone awoke
Some soundbites she
uttered
Please, I muttered,
Sit down and take pity
On those in this city
Who’ll be hanging on
Long after you’ve gone
I’ll close my eyes and
count to ten
(She’ll never make it as a
comedienne)
I’ve spotted a Lord
Who’se most frightfully
bored
His expression’s turned
surley
He’s bound to leave early
Once morning coffee’s been
poured
What an awful awful
conference
I’ve had it - my will’s
been snapped
I’ve found a gap
Where an afternoon nap
Will give me a rest
I’ll not request
Nor will I protest
If I’m not blessed
With a guest
I can’t take any more -
that much I know.
Image credit:
http://www.isdef.org/en/conference/isdef2009/hotel.php
(I have not been to any conferences, awful or otherwise, at this venue)
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