Bytes and Rights: Current issues in media and data protection law to be highlighted at annual MIDBA Conference

Friday 21 June 2024 | 2:00 – 5:30 pm | 3 CPD Points

Event opens with lunch at 1.00pm, Registration from 1.30pm

The 2024 annual MIDBA Conference will offer attendees insight into the major issues pertaining to media, data protection and internet law from the previous 12 months provided by experts in the data protection and the legal sector. Esteemed guest speakers include Renato Leite Monteiro, Global Head of Privacy at X, newly elected MEP for Dublin Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and Dr. Des Hogan, Data Protection Commissioner and Chair of the Data Protection Commission who will address the conference with his presentation titled, “The work of the DPC: key challenges in an accelerating digital world“.

Panels

Hate Speech and the Freedom of Expression – Drawing the line

The afternoon will open with an address from Michael O’Doherty BL, Vice Chair of MIDBA before the first of three panel discussions on the subject of hate speech and freedom of expression. In this first panel, attendees will hear from Liam Herrick of Irish Council for Civil Liberties, member of The Bar of Ireland Grace Sullivan BL, with conversation moderated by Conor Power SC. Speakers will examine areas such as the definition of hate speech and the right to freedom of expression, the Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences Bill, the rise of hate speech online and the misuse of social media.

Compensation for Data Breaches – Money for nothing?

In the second panel of the conference, Claire Hogan BL, Chair of MIDBA, will moderate a discussion on compensation for data breaches, with contributions from MIDBA committee member Mark Finan BL, Dr Katherine Nolan from the University of Ulster and Lorcan Moylan Burke, Solicitor, DLA Piper. The panel will focus on recent CJEU cases on damages, their impact on domestic law, the link between enforcement and compensation in addition to future developments in this area.

Who goes there? – The issue of online anonymity

The third panel instalment of the day will examine the blight of online anonymity and will be led by Renato Leite Monteiro, Global Head of Privacy at X, Emily Egan McGrath SC and Legal Director at Kennedy Law, David Culleton. Speakers will present illustrations on the overall issue of online anonymity, the role social media platforms play in regulating the anonymity of their users and background on the Norwich Pharmacal procedure. The final panel will be moderated by Vice Chair of MIDBA, Michael O’Doherty BL.

Speakers

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Speaking ahead of the event, Chair of the Media, Internet and Data Protection Bar Association Claire Hogan BL said,

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Event Details

• Date: Friday 21 June
• Time: 2:00 pm – 5:30 pm
• Where: Distillery Building, Church St, Dublin 7
• 3 CPD points

The conference will be followed by a drinks and light food at the Sheds, Distillery Building at 5:30 pm.

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