Data Protection Day, from rights to digital awareness
Every day, people's personal data is collected, processed and shared: at work, in dealings with public administrations, in health services, in the purchase of goods and services, in travel and in web browsing. It is a continuous flow that involves all ages and all contexts of life, but often remains opaque to those directly involved.
Despite this, awareness of the risks associated with personal data protection, people's rights and the protection tools available is still limited. Many citizens do not know how to exercise their rights, how to recognise a breach or what the role of data protection authorities is. To draw attention to these issues, since 2006 the Council of Europe has promoted Data Protection Day, celebrated annually on 28 January. The date coincides with the anniversary of the opening for signature of Convention 108, the first and only international treaty dedicated to the protection of personal data. Today, the anniversary is recognised globally as Data Protection Day or Data Privacy Day and involves institutions, supervisory authorities, schools, universities and civil society organisations.
Data protection as a fundamental right
Data protection is not exclusively a technical or regulatory issue. It is a fundamental right, closely linked to human dignity, individual freedom and trust in digital services. In a context marked by the spread of artificial intelligence, the automation of decision-making processes and the transnational circulation of data, the protection of privacy becomes an essential component of digital citizenship.
It is no coincidence that Convention 108 is currently undergoing a process of modernisation, aimed at ensuring that its principles remain relevant to contemporary technological challenges. At the same time, the Council of Europe is working on a Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, with the aim of guiding its development and use in accordance with human rights and the rule of law.
The commitment of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale
The work of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale ETS fits into this European and international framework. For years, the foundation has been committed to transforming rights into skills, making the issues of data protection and digital security accessible to citizens of all ages.
Through digital education programmes, training courses in schools and universities, local activities, and workshops for young people, adults and the elderly, the foundation promotes a culture of digital responsibility and awareness. This work addresses issues such as online privacy protection, the conscious use of digital services, data protection in educational and work contexts, and the prevention of risks related to abuse and misinformation in a concrete manner.
Protecting data means protecting people
Data Protection Day is an opportunity to remember that privacy is not only protected by rules, but also by education, information and active participation. The protection of personal data is a public good that requires widespread skills and shared responsibility.
It is in this space, between rights, technologies and communities, that the Fondazione Mondo Digitale's daily commitment lies: to contribute to the construction of a safer, more inclusive and humane digital world, in which data protection is an integral part of the exercise of citizenship.
