DIGITAL PACT FOR THE PROTECTION OF PEOPLE
ON 28 JANUARY 2021 ACTION AGAINST HUNGER SIGNED UP
to the Digital Pact for the Protection of People, promoted by the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD).
This initiative forms part of the AEPD's Social Responsibility and Sustainability Framework and promotes a major agreement for coexistence in the digital sphere, with the aim of promoting a firm commitment to privacy in the sustainability policies and business models of organisations, making the fundamental right to data protection compatible with innovation, ethics and business competitiveness [CVB1].
This initiative aims to strengthen the right to data protection while promoting innovation and sustainability. The project has been developed in collaboration with some of the main business organisations, foundations, media associations and audiovisual groups, and is open to organisations willing to take on the commitments reflected in the members’ charter. The initiative is open only to legal entities, whatever their corporate form. Click here for more information on how to join the Pact and here to find out which organisations have joined.
The Pact promotes privacy as an asset for public and private organisations. Among the principles included are promoting transparency so that citizens know what data is being collected and what it is used for, promoting gender equality and the protection of children and people in vulnerable situations, and guaranteeing that technologies avoid perpetuating biases or increasing existing inequalities, avoiding algorithmic discrimination based on race, origin, belief, religion or sex, among others.
By joining, we undertake to implement the principles and recommendations set out in the Commitment to Digital Responsibility and the List of Good Practices in the use of our own distribution channels. We are also committed to disseminating among our employees [CVB2] and users the Priority Channel to request the urgent removal of sexual and violent content on the Internet, as well as other resources and tools that the AEPD has made available to the public and private sectors and to citizens to help raise awareness of the value of privacy and the importance of the processing of personal data
DOCUMENTS MAKING UP THE PACT
The Pact is made up of three main documents: the Members’ Charter, the Commitment to Responsibility in the Digital Sphere and the List of Good Practices in privacy for media and organisations with their own distribution channels. It also includes an annex with a list of AEPD tools, guides, materials and resources for citizens and decision-makers. All these documents are integrated into the final text of the Pact.
The Members’ Charter gives our undertaking to implement the principles and recommendations set out in the Pact and, as an additional commitment, to disseminate the Priority Channel and other resources and tools that the AEPD has launched to help raise awareness of the value of privacy and the importance of personal data processing, also in the workplace.
The Digital Responsibility Commitment contains specific obligations in the digital sphere, with distribution both within our organisation and to third parties being encouraged. Meanwhile, the document lists responsibilities, especially in the face of conduct related to so-called "digital violence", and also incorporates some principles that, from the perspective of ethics and data protection, what is known as “digital ethics”, should be taken into account when designing and implementing new technological developments.
The List of Good Practices in privacy for media and organisations with their own distribution channels, with which the Agency aims to promote the fight against digital violence both among the media and with all those organisations that have their own dissemination channels to report on issues of interest to their audiences.
Lastly, the annex includes a list of AEPD tools, guides, materials and resources for citizens and those data controllers, to promote greater knowledge and facilitate better compliance with data protection regulations.
THE PRIORITY CHANNEL
The AEPD provides a Priority Channel to request the urgent removal of sexual and violent content disseminated on the Internet without the consent of the persons affected (of Spanish nationality or resident in Spain). This channel has been set up to deal with exceptionally sensitive situations, when the content (photographs or videos) is of a sexual nature or shows acts of aggression and the rights and freedoms of those affected are being put at high risk, provided that they are Spanish citizens or are in Spain, especially if they are minors or victims of gender-based violence. This channel can be used by both the affected party and any person who is aware of the dissemination of this type of content.
