About Us

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There is nothing exceptional or special about us. We are simply a small group of people who work in data, information, and education and we all act in a personal capacity.  Some time ago, we were having a discussion after a conference that we had attended. The event, with a heavy focus on the rights and experiences of children in the digital era, had been enlightening, and sobering, and we were discussing the realities of life for young people today. We commented how desensitised society seems to have become to the increasingly regular stories of children coming to harm, being exploited and being abused online, and all uttered the familiar cry of ‘well, what can I do?’

We then looked at each other and understood that, in that response, we too were contributing to the normalisation; we too were part of the problem.

So …

This is far from a well-resourced or detailed contribution (we have limited time and all have 'day jobs'), it is simply based on the premise that  “We cannot do much, but we cannot do nothing”.

There are experts that produce well-resourced and carefully considered commentary and reports - it is those people we need to be listening to. Some (but very far from all) are listed in our Resources Library.

But we all work in the data ecosystem and therefore all have a role, and a responsibility. 

We have no expectations about whether this will make any difference at all, but we sincerely hope it will help contribute to these important conversations across the whole of society, even in a small way. Our simple commitments, if applied universally, could make a big difference.

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.

What’s your day job?

I work with young people that have additional learning needs and support them in particular with literacy skills. I work across a broad age range from infants to seniors.

What’s your why?

I have always wanted to do something to help people. I’ve never felt comfortable doing a job that was purely about making more money for someone or where decisions are made on a purely financial basis. Making a positive difference to the life of a young person in particular is what I try to achieve.

What’s your message to the future?

Pause and reflect before doing anything! Always take a moment to consider the consequences and what the goal is. Is it really necessary and a positive benefit to society and the world? What are the potential harms?

If you had magic powers for a day, what would you do/change?

Make kindness the overarching principle of everything that we make, do or say. 

If kindness is always the goal, we won’t have wars or famine, cruelty and avoidable suffering.

If we treat all people, animals and the world we live in kindly then maybe the future will be more positive. Oh - and world peace and fixing the planet etc…

What’s your day job?

Managing Director, Informu Solutions Ltd

What’s your why?

Data is everywhere and underpinning everything, so all our computing needs to be ethical and sustainable. If I can in my own small way make digital practices better for people and planet, then it's all worthwhile.

What’s your message to the future?

It's all a bit scary. War, climate change, job uncertainty, AI ... but if we all talk to each other without prejudice or bias, then the future will be rosier than it sometimes seems.

If you had magic powers for a day, what would you do/change?

Reverse climate change.

What’s your day job?

I have a portfolio of work including Chief Commissioner at the Data and Marketing Commission, some data protection advisory roles, and I am a charity trustee for our local hospice.

What’s your why?

A powerful sense that every data point that we talk about, every line in the legislation, is about human beings – how we treat each other, and how we want to be treated. Data is so wrapped up in what is means to be human, and what it means to live and participate in society.

I believe passionately in human rights, in the dignity and equality of individuals and data has now become intrinsic to that. Data protection legislation has never mattered more and whilst it may sound like a cliché, it remains true – that doing the work that I do feels both deeply rewarding and profoundly purposeful.

What’s your message to the future?

We made mistakes. 

We should have done better. 

We tried.

I am sorry. 

If you had magic powers for a day, what would you do/change?

Many years ago, I was a DPO. I was young and inexperienced. It was ‘just’ a job for me at that point, something that was put at the end of my job description because no one else wanted to do it. I remember as if it was yesterday the moment that I ‘got it’ –  the moment that I understood, properly, what data protection was about. It wasn’t files, or spreadsheets, or data points, it was people. That moment has stayed with me and has impacted and shaped everything I have done since. 

I would give everyone their own equivalent ‘epiphany’ about data. Then ensuring the protecting of data becomes more than something we do, it becomes something we are.

What’s your day job?

I’m a Senior Lecturer at City St. George’s, University of London, teaching on the professional course for solicitors’ training

What’s your ‘why’?

To make a difference.

What’s your message to the future?

Have faith, don’t give up. Keep fighting the fight because it matters.

If you had magic powers for a day, what would you do/change?

I’d give everyone a metaphorical mirror so they can truly observe and consider the consequences their actions have on others (and in turn, hopefully change their ways).

What’s your day job?

Director of Data and Information Governance and Data Protection Officer at the British Business Bank. In simple terms, I help organisations use information and data responsibly, ethically and effectively. My role sits at the intersection of strategy, technology, governance and people — making sure that innovation and trust go hand in hand.

What's your 'why'?

Data shapes decisions about all of us, often in ways we don't see. My 'why' is making sure those decisions are made fairly, transparently and with people at the centre. I've spent my career challenging the idea that governance is a barrier. Done well, it becomes an enabler — helping organisations unlock the value of information while protecting the rights, dignity and trust of the people they serve.

As a parent, this has become even more important to me. I'm passionate about ensuring children have the right to a childhood, the right to privacy, and the right to feel safe in their own homes without being exposed to preventable online harms. Technology should create opportunities for young people, not exploit them.

What's your message to the future?

Technology will continue to evolve faster than society's rules for using it. My hope is that we don't just ask "Can we?" but also "Should we?" The future belongs to organisations and leaders who combine innovation with ethics, and who remember that every data point represents a real person.

Most importantly, I hope we create a future where children are free to grow, learn, play and make mistakes without being constantly monitored, profiled or targeted. Privacy is not an obstacle to progress; it is a foundation for human dignity and freedom.

If you had magic powers for a day, what would you do/change?

I'd give everyone complete visibility into how their data is used and the confidence to challenge decisions made about them. I'd ensure every child could explore the digital world safely, free from manipulation, harmful content and exploitative design. Parents would have confidence that technology companies were acting in their children's best interests, not simply competing for their attention.

If there was any magic left over, I'd use it to create more courageous, compassionate leaders who help others realise their potential and who understand that trust is one of the most valuable things we can build.

What’s your day job?

I’m a Data Protection Consultant, working with organisations to ensure personal data is handled responsibly, securely, and ethically.

What's your 'why'?

My motivation is both professional and personal. As a parent to a teenage son, I see first-hand how complex and potentially unsafe the digital world can be. There simply isn’t enough education or protection available for either parents or young people navigating social media and online spaces.

Reflecting on my own experience growing up with early access to the internet, I had a laptop but very little guidance on what was safe, appropriate, or responsible online behaviour. That lack of awareness still exists today, just at a much larger and more dangerous scale.

What's your message to the future?

Together, we can create meaningful change. Standing by is no longer an option. By working collectively, we can build safer digital environments for the next generation.

If you had magic powers for a day, what would you do/change?

I would create widespread awareness through education and empowerment giving both parents and young people the knowledge and confidence they need to navigate the online world safely.

What’s your day job?

I have a few jobs, actually. I live and breathe privacy and data protection, and more recently I’ve been exploring the world of AI governance. I’m lucky enough to be self-employed, which means I get to spend my time doing work I genuinely care about, while also volunteering for causes close to my heart.

A big part of what I do is helping organisations use technology and personal data responsibly, keeping people’s rights and trust at the centre, and making complicated legislation feel a bit more human and practical.

I also mentor new and aspiring professionals and speak on topics I care deeply about, especially safeguarding, individual rights and helping people feel safer by giving them the tools, knowledge and confidence to protect themselves.

Alongside that, I teach self-defence to both children and adults. It might sound like a completely different world, but for me it all connects. Whether online or offline, I care about helping people feel safer, stronger and more confident in themselves.

I’m usually on the edge of wanting to start a revolution or a movement, so I’m incredibly glad to have found this fantastic group of like-minded people who care about making a difference too.

What’s your ‘why’?

Because safety should never be a privilege. Everyone has the right to feel safe, be protected and have the tools and confidence to defend themselves, whether online or in everyday life. Too many people, especially children and vulnerable adults, are expected to use unsafe systems, be subjected to online harms and difficult situations without enough protection, education or support.

I believe safeguarding goes hand in hand with empowerment: helping people understand their rights, trust their instincts, set boundaries and feel confident in themselves, both digitally and in the real world.

I’m also a mum to a 12-year-old, and I see first-hand the pressures, anxiety and negative effects that the online world can have on young people. It makes this deeply personal for me. Children deserve to grow up feeling safe, supported and free to explore the world with confidence, not fear.

What’s your message to the future?

Never accept fear, exploitation or inequality as the price of progress. Build a world where privacy, dignity and safety are protected by design, not fought for afterwards. Be kind, value truth and remember that empowering children and protecting vulnerable people makes society stronger for everyone.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and question everything, especially when something doesn’t feel right. Trust your instincts. Just because everyone is doing something doesn’t make it right, smart or safe. Keep using that phenomenal brain of yours, think for yourself and don’t follow the crowd just because it feels easier.

The world needs more people who think critically, act kindly and are brave enough to question things, even when standing out feels uncomfortable.

If you had magic powers for a day, what would you do/change?

I’d press a giant reset button on the internet. Privacy would come as standard, not pretence. Exploiting people for profit, attention or data would stop being a business model. Kindness would spread faster than outrage, and false information would lose its power to divide us.

Every child and young person would have safe spaces to explore, learn and just be themselves, free from fear, pressure and anxiety. The internet could help people grow, not leave them needing to recover from it.