Call for papers

The Privacy Symposium Africa 2023 is pleased to announce its call for papers for researchers to submit their original research papers under the theme "Navigating Privacy in the Age of Digital Transformation." The symposium will be held from 7th to 9th November, 2023 in Port Loius, Mauritius and aims to bring together academics, researchers, policymakers, and industry practitioners to discuss the latest trends and challenges related to data privacy and data protection in healthcare, finance, education, and media in the age of digital transformation.

Digital transformation has revolutionized the way we store and process data. However, it has also brought new privacy and data protection challenges. In Africa, these challenges are particularly significant given the increasing use of technology in key sectors such as healthcare, finance, education, and media. The Privacy Symposium Africa 2023 seeks to provide a platform for researchers to share their latest findings on data protection and privacy-related issues in these sectors and to engage in meaningful discussions on how to address these challenges.

We invite interested researchers to submit original research papers on any of the following topics related to navigating privacy in the age of digital transformation:

Health Care:

  • Health insurance and privacy: A study of the privacy implications of health insurance in Africa, including issues related to data collection, sharing, and use, as well as the impact of data protection regulations on health insurance.
  • Patient data management and privacy: A study of how healthcare providers in Africa are managing patient data, including electronic health records, and the data protection and privacy concerns that arise from these practices.

Finance:

  • Digital financial services and privacy: An examination of the privacy implications of digital financial services such as mobile banking, digital wallets, and cryptocurrency, and the potential risks associated with the collection and processing of user data.
  • Fintech and data protection: An exploration of the privacy and data protection challenges facing fintech companies in Africa, including issues related to data collection, use, and sharing, as well as the compliance challenges associated with data protection regulations.

Education:

  • Student data ownership and control: An examination of the legal and ethical issues surrounding student data ownership and control in African educational institutions, and the implications for student privacy and data protection.
  • Data privacy and student information management: A study of how educational institutions in Africa are managing student data, including student records, grades, and personal information, and the data protection and privacy concerns that arise from these practices.

Media

  • Data protection and media freedom: A study of the tension between data protection regulations and media freedom, with a focus on the impact of privacy laws on investigative journalism in Africa.
  • The ethics of data use in media: An exploration of the ethical considerations involved in the collection, use, and sharing of user data by media organizations in Africa, with a particular focus on issues of informed consent and data ownership.

We encourage submissions that address the unique challenges faced by African countries in these areas and propose practical solutions for policymakers, industry practitioners, and other stakeholders. Submissions that highlight the implications of digital transformation for data privacy in these sectors are also encouraged.

All submissions will be peer-reviewed, and accepted papers will be presented at the Privacy Symposium Africa 2023. Selected papers will also be considered for publication on the Unwanted Witness and Privacy Symposium Africa websites.

Submission Guidelines:

We also invite researchers from different domains and specializations to submit their study in any one area or an interdisciplinary area catering to the theme of the 5th Privacy Symposium Africa 2023.

Send your submissions to: info@unwantedwitness.org

Deadline for Paper Submissions: September 29th, 2023

Submission guidelines

  • Papers should be in English.
  • Regular papers should be up to 10 pages in length.
  • Short papers should be up to 6 pages in length.

Successful researchers  will be peer-reviewed, and accepted papers shall have the opportunity to be presented at the 5th Privacy Symposium Africa in Port Louis-Mauritius and their papers shall be published on the Privacy Symposium Africa and  Unwanted Witness websites.