The Covington Technology Forum – Data in a Connected World, will be taking place on January 27^th, 28^th, and 29^th. Intended for legal and business professionals who manage any aspect of the data economy for their organizations, the Forum will equip attendees with the information and insights they need in order to understand the evolving legal, regulatory and business considerations around data. This is a virtual conference, taking place in 90-minute sessions on three consecutive days.

Covington authorities and featured client presenters will share their unique perspectives and guidance from industry, private practice, and government service. Each day will also feature an industry spotlight providing an inside view of specific data issues in that industry.

Below are highlights of the topics that will be covered each day. For more information (including the full agenda) or to register for the Forum, click here.

Suzanne Bell, Co-Chair of our Technology and IP Transactions Practice Group, will host the first day’s topic, Commercial Uses of Data.

• Discussing sourcing data to train AI algorithms will be Freddi Argent and Moritz Hüsch. This presentation will provide a bird's eye view of the various intellectual property and contract-related matters companies need to take into account when sourcing publicly-available data for the purpose of training AI algorithms. We will look at the rules from an EU- and US-law perspective. This will be particularly relevant for attendees who work in international businesses that are increasingly mining data for machine-learning, informational analysis and related purposes.
• Developing data licensing and monetization models, presented by Adrian Perry, will include various approaches to structuring data licensing deals, including when data is packaged with other products and services. Different options for data licensing programs, including multi-organization data collaborations and open data initiatives, will also be covered. The presentation will help organizations make more informed decisions about how to monetize data, both on a deal-by-deal basis, and as part of an overall data plan.
• Sarah Wilson, and an industry guest will provide an industry spotlight on Connected and Automated Vehicles. CAVs require a staggering amount of data for development and generate and equally staggering amount. The presenters will explore issues related to data collection and use in this rapidly evolving industry.

DAY 2 – Thursday, January 28^th  1:00-2:30 p.m. ET

Jennifer Johnson, Co-Chair of Covington’s Internet of Things Initiative, will host the second day’s topic, Global Data Management.

• Discussing managing data flows across jurisdictions – EMEA, China, and the US, will be Lisa Peets, Yan Luo, and Libbie Canter. The Internet may not recognize borders, but technology solutions must grapple with global data protection laws that may apply extra-territorially, restrict cross-border transfers of personal data, and create conflicting or overlapping requirements for the management of personal data. This session will explore key EMEA, China, and US developments relevant to these data transfer and data management issues, including the continued fall out from this summer’s blockbuster EU Court of Justice decision invalidating the Privacy Shield and emerging data protection frameworks in China and the US.
• This industry spotlight focusing on sports, media, and entertainment will feature Adrian Perry and Facebook’s Matthew Henick. Matthew is a leading edge innovator at the intersection of media and tech, throughout his career and in his current role as Facebook's head of content planning and strategy. Tech Forum participants will benefit from his insights on the future of content and viewer engagement.

DAY 3 – Friday, January 29^th  1:00-2:30 p.m. ET

Micaela McMurrough, Co-Chair of Covington’s Internet of Things Initiative, will host the third day’s topic, Government and Private Demands for Data.

• Anticipating data-focused legislative developments in the new Biden administration will be discussed by Broderick Johnson, who will cover what to expect from Congress in critical areas.
• Preparing for surveillance of connected devices will be explored by Jim Garland. Law enforcement is increasingly targeting "smart" devices for surveillance in criminal and national security investigations. The government's collection of data created, stored, and processed by smart devices raises important and novel questions at the center of rapidly evolving Fourth Amendment jurisprudence. This presentation will discuss the legal and practical issues companies should consider when responding to legal demands seeking smart device data.
• Responding to FTC investigations in regards to data use will be presented by Laura Kim, who will discuss the FTC's legal authority and the new Biden administration's priorities when it comes to data privacy and security. Forum attendees will receive an inside look into the FTC's investigative process and best practices for responding to an investigation.
• Producing data in litigation will be discussed by Ali Mojibi, including matters related to data preservation and privacy.
• Friday’s special spotlight, empowering data for social good, will be explored by Lindsey Tonsager and Christian Na, General Counsel of Thorn, a nonprofit that develops tools to combat child sexual abuse material online. They will discuss perspectives on the social value of empowering data collection and use to protect children vs. the risks to data privacy and individual rights.

If you have any questions concerning the presentations discussed in this client alert, please contact the following Covington authorities.