2025 Panels

Biometric Data & Digital ID: Are We Trading Privacy for Convenience?

Digital ID systems, particularly those leveraging biometric data, have rapidly gained traction across Africa as governments seek to modernize service delivery, enhance financial inclusion, and strengthen national security. While biometric-based national IDs promise efficiency and fraud prevention, they also raise significant privacy, surveillance, and exclusion concerns. Instances of data breaches, lack of robust legal frameworks, and the potential for mass surveillance further complicate the discourse.

As nations increasingly adopt biometric identity systems, it is crucial to critically assess whether these systems genuinely advance citizens’ rights and opportunities or if they pose risks to personal privacy and exacerbate social inequalities. This panel explored the trade-offs involved, scrutinizing both the benefits and the challenges of biometric ID systems in Africa.

Data Protection as a Business Asset – Turning Compliance into Competitive Advantage

This panel session explored how African businesses can leverage data protection as a strategic business asset, using it to drive customer loyalty, innovation, and regulatory leadership. The session featured case studies of African companies that have successfully embedded privacy into their business models and benefited from it. The discussion highlighted key strategies, regulatory considerations, and practical insights into making privacy a business enabler rather than a compliance challenge.

Would You Sign This? The Hidden Privacy Clauses We Ignore Daily

In today’s digital world, individuals interact with numerous online services and applications daily, often agreeing to lengthy, complex, and jargon-filled terms of service (ToS) agreements without reading them. These agreements frequently contain hidden privacy clauses that grant companies extensive rights over user data, which may lead to unexpected privacy violations, data misuse, and loss of user control over personal information.

This session aimed towards taking a fresh and engaging approach to demystify the privacy implications of ToS agreements. By breaking down real-life examples of privacy clauses, panelists educated attendees on the hidden risks and provided insights into making more informed digital decisions. The session made use of humor, interactive discussions, and real-world case studies to ensure an engaging and accessible conversation on a topic that affects everyone but is often overlooked.

Are We Unwittingly Marching Towards Authoritarianism? – Tackling the Rise of Spyware in Africa

The panel session examined the rapid expansion of surveillance technologies across Africa and how their use has increasingly blurred the line between national security and the protection of civil liberties. Panelists reflected on how spyware and related tools, initially adopted for counterterrorism and public safety, have often been repurposed to monitor dissent and exert political control. Drawing on examples from countries with differing governance systems, the discussion highlighted growing concerns around privacy violations, weakened democratic processes, and the normalization of intrusive surveillance practices.

Speakers also explored the legal, ethical, and human rights implications of unchecked surveillance, emphasizing its disproportionate impact on journalists, activists, civil society actors, and ordinary citizens. The session underscored the urgent need for stronger legal safeguards, transparency, and accountability, as well as greater international oversight to curb the misuse of spyware.

EdTech & Children’s Privacy: Who's Watching Our Kids?

The integration of educational technology (EdTech) into learning environments has accelerated, offering transformative opportunities for students across Africa and beyond. However, as digital learning platforms become more prevalent, concerns about children’s data privacy, security, and digital well-being have intensified. EdTech platforms often collect vast amounts of personal data, raising serious concerns about consent, surveillance, data ownership, and commercial exploitation.

This panel explored the growing intersection of EdTech, children’s privacy, and regulatory responses. Panelists provided insights into best practices, the role of governance in protecting minors, and the ethical dilemmas surrounding data collection in educational settings.

Media, Misinformation & Privacy: Who Controls the Narrative?

This panel explored how privacy, digital rights, and journalism intersect in the fight against misinformation. The session brought together experts from media, technology, policy, and civil society to discuss key questions:

How does misinformation exploit personal data and privacy vulnerabilities?
What role do media platforms play in controlling the narrative, and who holds them accountable?
How can privacy-preserving technologies help combat disinformation?
What legal and policy interventions are necessary to balance privacy, free expression, and media integrity?

My Digital Footprint: What the Internet Knows About Me

The digital era has transformed the way individuals interact online, but few people fully understand the extent of their digital footprint—the data trail they leave behind while browsing, shopping, socializing, and engaging with online services. From social media activity to search history, digital transactions, and location tracking, the internet compiles a vast amount of personal information that can be exploited for advertising, surveillance, identity theft, and even behavioral prediction.

This session demystified digital footprints in a relaxed, engaging manner. By blending live demonstrations, audience participation, and expert insights, attendees were able to gain first-hand experience in assessing their own digital exposure and learn practical ways to protect their privacy.

The Ethics of AI in Africa: Who is Training the Algorithm?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly shaping societies, influencing governance, healthcare, finance, and even social justice in Africa. However, AI systems are only as ethical as the data they are trained on. Given Africa’s historical marginalization in global AI development, the session will explore:

Bias in AI models and how it disproportionately affects African populations.
The urgent need for localized AI training datasets and governance frameworks.
Pathways for ethical AI development in Africa that prioritize inclusion, fairness, and transparency.

The discussion will convene AI ethicists, policymakers, data protection regulators, civil society actors, and industry leaders to address these issues and chart a way forward for AI governance in Africa.