Elisabeth Ekstrand new chair of the Data Protection Board

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At the latest meeting of the newly established Data Council, Elisabeth Ekstrand was elected as the new chair, here she answers four questions about why the Data Council engages her.

Elisabet Ekstrand, IIS, you are the newly elected Chair of the Data Council. What does this position mean to you?

I have been entrusted with leading the newly launched Data Council, which is a new member council within IT&Telecom companies. The purpose of the council is to coordinate the member companies that have an interest in data, information and content-related issues. I am really looking forward to working together with the other members' knowledgeable and committed representatives to pursue the issues we have jointly decided to focus on.

What do you do for a living, and why are IIS interested in the Council's issues?

I've been working at IIS for about ten years and I am the Administrative Manager and General Counsel. IIS is responsible for a vital part of the Swedish internet infrastructure. We are responsible for the operation and administration of the Swedish top-level domain .se and run a number of projects focused on socially beneficial internet development.

IIS's operations and socially important function mean that we have a great interest in the issues that the Data Council should primarily focus on, such as increased knowledge of the impact of digitization on the development of society and ensuring the availability of data and content and clarifying responsibility for data and content. These issues are central to all members of the Data Council.

I am also a member of the Board of CENTR, which is a cooperative organization for all operators of European country code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs), such as .dk for Germany and .se for Sweden. The objectives of CENTR are to promote and participate in the development of common standards and practices, and to represent the interests of its members in global Internet governance.

How do you hope the Data Council will make a difference?

I strongly believe that collaboration gives a stronger voice and the creation of the Data Council means that there is now a relevant platform for member companies with an interest in data, information and content issues. The Data Council enables the industry to jointly pursue its issues in the debate and in advocacy work towards decision-makers.

Which of the Data Protection Board's issues are you personally most committed to?

These are data protection and privacy issues and the question of responsibility for data and content. I am passionate about understanding how proposals for new regulations may affect our new reality and everyday life.

I have seen first-hand how broadband and the arrival of "toads" in my home have affected my children's habits and the way they socialize with their friends. Digitalization affects all citizens and the development of society. We must therefore ensure that new regulations support digitalization and take advantage of its opportunities. It is also about ensuring that decision-makers and the judiciary have sufficient knowledge. For example, the IIS has chosen to pursue two fundamentally important legal cases in court to clarify the legal situation.