[Registration] GPA 2025 SEOUL: Open Net is Advancing Asia Pacific Digital Consumer Dialogue, a CSO alliance to engage treaty makers

Advancing a Digital Consumer Dialogue in the Asia-Pacific

On the side line of Global Privacy Assembly 2025 Seoul, Open Net , Access Now, Consumers Japan, Consumers Korea, Engage Media, Privacy by Design Lab Japan, Public Citizen; Professor Hiroshi Miyashita, Chuo University; Javier Ruiz Diaz, Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy will be holding Advancing a digital consumer dialogue in the Asia-Pacific, an event to present and advance the Asia-Pacific Digital Consumer Dialogue (tentative name) with the following aims:

Overall aim:

1. Creating a permanent collaboration forum for civil society organizations, consumer groups and academics to share information and coordinate activities on digital, data and privacy issues in the region. 
2. Establishing ongoing engagement with digital regulators, policymakers and relevant international bodies to ensure that policies incorporate citizen and consumer priorities.

Objectives of the session:

• Map priority issues and organizations relevant to digital and data policy in the region.
• Outreach to GPA participants to build new contacts.
• Gather feedback to help improve and shape future collaboration. 

Congratulatory Remark: Yeongmi Yoon, Member, Personal Information Protection Commission, South Korea (12:30-12:35)

Keynote remarks: Benefits, challenges and best practices of collaboration of civil society and digital regulators (12:35-12:50)

• Carly Kind, Australian Privacy Commissioner
• Javier Ruiz Diaz (Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy, University of Sussex)

Session 1: Mapping data protection and digital/consumer rights issues in Asia-Pacific (12:50- 13:45)

Moderator: K.S. Park

– Data breaches and surveillance in the region and need for better protection: South Korea and Indonesia:

• Juho Kim (People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, Korea)
• Debora Irene Christine (Tifa Foundation, Indonesia)

– AI challenges in Asia-Pacific and citizen participation in AI policy development

• Raman Jit Singh (Access Now)
• Cui Jia Wei (Judicial Reform Foundation, Taiwan)

– Digital trade agreements as tools for promoting cross-border data transfer and regulatory cooperation on it, and need for safeguards for consumer protection:

• Prof. Hiroshi Miyashita (Chuo University, Japan)
• Burču Killič (CIGI, Third World Network)
• Shobit S. (IT for Change, India)

Session 2: Paths to a safer and more inclusive digital economy in the Asia-Pacific    (13:45-15:30) 

Moderator: Phet Sayo (Engage Media)

– How advances in consumer protection can complement human rights and other norms and help advance digital safety:

• Chisako Gono (Consumers Japan)
• YouKyung (Jane) Huh (Consumers Korea)
• Alice Pham (CUTS, Vietnam) – joining remotely

– How academics and experts can best improve the quality of digital public policy:

• Hiroshi Miyashita (Chuo University)
• Colin Bennett (University of Victoria)

– Public interest technology and the role of SMEs in setting best practices:

• Kohei Kurihara (Privacy By Design Lab, Japan)
• Chihiro Fujisaki (Privacy By Design Lab, Japan)
• Chia-Shuo Tang (Open Culture Foundation, Taiwan)

– Relevant regional policy fora and initiatives for engagement, such as ASEAN DEFA, CBPR, and DRAPAC:

• Jamael Jacob (Philippines)
• Prapasiri ‘Nan’ Suttisom (Engage Media)
• Raman Raman Jit Singh (AccessNow)

– Engaging with standards bodies:

• Amy Kato (Consumers Japan)
• Eunsook Moon (Chair of ISO/COPOLCO)

Session 3: Paths to a safer and more inclusive digital economy in the Asia-Pacific    (15:30-16:00)

Moderator: Phet Sayo

– Summary of the lessons from the previous session, identifying key topics, policy spaces, challenges and obstacles: (YouKyung Huh, Javier Ruiz)

– Priorities for collaboration: (discussion facilitated by) Phet Sayo

– Next steps to continue the dialogue process and call for expressions of interest: KS Park

Advancing a digital consumer dialogue in the Asia-Pacific (*English only)

Date and Time: Mon, 15 September 2025, 12:00-16:00 *Lunch included
Venue: Namsan Ⅲ (2F), Grand Hyatt Seoul

Hosts:  www.opennetkorea.org, www.accessnow.org, www.shodanren.gr.jp, www.engagemedia.org, www.consumerskorea.org, www.privacybydesign.jp, www.citizen.org, Javier Ruiz (Center for Inclusive Trade Policy), Hiroshi Miyashita (Chuo Univesity)
Registration (online): https://forms.gle/vvEFbPZBS7gSFhHZ7 (Friday, September 12, 2025, 6 pm (Spaces limited: registration subject to final approval)
Contact: ma****@********or.kr +82 10 9557 1643 (Please use Signal)