Online Anonymity:
Is It A Luxury We Can No Longer Afford?
Gary Miller
Partner, Mishcon de Reya
IFG Co-Founder
The topic that we are going to be debating this evening is on the lips virtually of every fraud investigator, online anonymity. It involves a battle between two significant forces, the right to privacy and security.
Claire Broadbelt
Partner, Mishcon de Reya
Businesses need to approach privacy and their online presence by thinking about worst case scenario. What is it that they really wouldn’t want to wake up to read on the front page of a national newspaper.
The Rt. Hon. Charles Clarke
Former Home Secretary
I don’t think enough is being done to protect people from abusing the power of anonymity. The use of online data has accelerated so fast in different areas which means the issues are far more pressing. There should be much more clarity for every individual about what data was held on them but also who put that data online.
Marc Taverner
EVP Strategic Partnerships
Bitfury
Absolutely blockchain can survive if it’s not anonymous. It loses a little bit of its value if it not anonymous, certainly in certain applications that requires you to be able to identify who you are and attest to the fact that you are who you say you are. At the moment we are seeing a lot of regulatory arbitrage which is where blockchain firms are looking around the world for clarity on regulation so clear regulation would help tremendously accelerate the development.
Paul Sharma
Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal
The blockchain itself as it becomes more significant will become a major part of the payment system and the payment system itself cannot be wholly outside of the scope of regulation.
Kenn Cukier
Technology Editor, The Economist
Facebook and Cambridge Analytica have really sent a chill down the spine of lots of companies and more importantly the public. People are recognising that the internet economy comes with a cost, they are militating now to make sure they can preserve some sort of privacy.
Thomas de la Mare QC
Barrister, Blackstone Chambers
How do I see regulation developing? Well first of all it has to deal with the undoubtedly massive complexity and I think also there has to be more of a campaign of public education, a lot of people act without thinking and that needs to change.
Paul Sharma
Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal
I think the biggest risk around online anonymity is that it’s a myth. For the vast bulk of us it simply does not exist.
Audrey Byrne
Partner, McCann FitzGerald
Today’s seminar I found really fascinating. The speakers were excellent. If we don’t protect our privacy you know, where are we going with the human race. Really our privacy is everything. So as member of the IFG I am proud to be a member of that group, an ever expanding group and this years’ event has increased our numbers and we are very excited about our new additions.