The representative of InfoCons – Consumer Protection takes part in the meeting organized by Consumers International on privacy in the Artificial Intelligence era
The representative of InfoCons takes part today, 29 July 2026, in the members’ meeting organized by Consumers International on the Zoom online platform, under the title Member Connect: Reimagining Privacy in the AI Era. The meeting brings together members of the world organization from around the globe and takes as its starting point one of the most pressing challenges of the moment: protecting consumers’ privacy in an era in which Artificial Intelligence collects and processes personal data faster than consumers can consent to or control it. The session takes place at 13:00 UTC (16:00, Romanian time), in a format that combines presentations delivered by Consumers International, a keynote speech and an interactive discussion with participants.
Privacy as a public good in the Artificial Intelligence era
The central point of the meeting is a shift in perspective regarding the way privacy is understood and protected. The idea that each individual is solely responsible for defending their own private life has reached its limits in a digital environment dominated by technologies that extract personal data on an unprecedented scale. In this context, Consumers International proposes reconsidering privacy not as an individual task, but as a public good — a collective interest that society protects together.
This approach moves the discussion away from the isolated responsibility of each consumer and toward shared protection, built on clear principles and concerted action. The meeting aims to give participants a solid understanding of the arguments that support this vision: the harms caused to consumers through the uncontrolled collection of data, the economic case for change and the benefits that a collective approach can generate in relation to the major technology platforms.
A global campaign presented to the members of Consumers International
A distinctive element of this meeting is the fact that the members of Consumers International receive an exclusive first look, in advance, at a global campaign dedicated to privacy in the Artificial Intelligence era, ahead of its public launch. The organization brings the initiative first to its members, offering them not only information about the concept, but also the opportunity to contribute directly to shaping and developing the campaign.
Participants discover what a campaign built around collective protection can look like in practice, what its core themes are and the framework of principles on which it rests. At the same time, the session reserves an ample space for open discussion on how the campaign can be adapted and applied in different national contexts, taking into account the particularities of each market and each community of consumers.
A structured agenda geared toward dialogue and action
The meeting takes place over 90 minutes, in a structure that combines presentations with interactive moments:
- Opening remarks and objectives of the meeting – Consumers International welcomes participants and panelists, outlines the objectives of the meeting and runs through the agenda.
- Member Spotlight – members’ achievements – a moment dedicated to members, who are invited to share recent achievements they are proud of in the field of Artificial Intelligence and privacy, to learn what partner organizations are doing and to identify the common points between their activities.
- Presentation of the privacy campaign – Consumers International sets the context of the discussion and presents the core themes of the campaign.
- Keynote speech – delivered by Dr. Mahlet “Milly” Zimeta, Head of Digital & Data Policy at Which? (United Kingdom).
- The “Your campaign, your advocacy” discussion – an extensive dialogue session, in which members are invited to describe how Artificial Intelligence and privacy are perceived in their countries, what would make the campaign useful in their own work and in what direction they would like to develop it.
- Conclusions and next steps – Consumers International summarizes the main ideas drawn from the meeting, presents the steps for supporting the campaign and what members can expect in the period ahead.
The keynote: Which?’s experience in tackling the challenges of AI
A landmark moment of the meeting is the presentation delivered by Dr. Mahlet “Milly” Zimeta, Head of Digital & Data Policy at the organization Which? in the United Kingdom, a member of Consumers International. She speaks about how she tackles, in her work, the challenges related to Artificial Intelligence and the protection of personal data, as well as about how joint campaigns, coordinated among consumer organizations, can generate a real and lasting impact.
InfoCons’ commitment to consumer protection in the digital environment
Through its participation in this meeting, InfoCons reaffirms its constant commitment to contributing to the protection of consumers’ rights in the digital environment and to being an active part of the international initiatives that respond to the challenges generated by new technologies. Its presence at the events organized by Consumers International allows InfoCons to bring to Romania the most relevant themes and solutions in the field of consumer protection and, in turn, to contribute the national perspective to global debates.
In an era in which Artificial Intelligence is redefining the relationship between consumers, personal data and the market, international cooperation and collective action become essential in order to ensure the safety, trust and respect of the rights of every consumer.
Signature: InfoCons Consumer Protection Communication Department