Pervasive Interference: A chat about Purpose Limitation (with Isabel Hahn)

Send us Fan Mail

Every year, in the final week of January, privacy professionals from around the world assemble in the north of Brussels for the Computers, Privacy and Data Protection Conference. In recent years, on the final day, the European Data Protection Law Review awards a young scholar award and hosts a panel to discuss the nominated papers. 

In this episode of Serious Privacy, Paul Breibarth and K Royal host the first of this year’s three finalists for the EDPL Award on the podcast. Isabel Hahn holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, recently completed an internship at NOYB and has just started a new internship with the European Data Protection Supervisor. Her paper focuses on the concept of purpose limitation, and the question whether or not it is still compatible with today’s data economy. Developments in privacy sometimes go so quickly, it is almost impossible to keep up.

Join us as we discuss purpose limitation and validating the concept against big data and common practices worldwide on the use of personal information. During this conversation, we cover a recent complaint in Austria against a credit rating agency, Article 5 of the GDPR, and characteristics of what Hahn terms data power companies: omnipresence in digital environment (builds insight into individuals lives), data volume (acquires and controls flow and repurposing), and ability to aggregate data. She believes that these three features combined lead to an asymmetry of value and a level of pervasive interference that is simply inequitable to the average consumer. 

You will also hear about compatible uses, using legitimate interests to balance the need or desire for new uses of data, and contextual integrity as discussed by Helen Nissenbaum. Lastly, because of course we have to address it with such a promising new professional - what is next in Isabel’s plan - does she intend to continue with privacy as a career? 

As always, if you have comments or feedback, please contact us at [email protected].

If you have comments or questions, find us on LinkedIn and Instagram @seriousprivacy, and on BlueSky under @seriousprivacy.eu, @europaulb.seriousprivacy.eu, @heartofprivacy.bsky.app and @igrobrien.seriousprivacy.eu, and email [email protected]. Rate and Review us!

From Season 6, our episodes are edited by Fey O'Brien. Our intro and exit music is Channel Intro 24 by Sascha Ende, licensed under CC BY 4.0. with the voiceover by Tim Foley.