A civil society conference, entitled "Global Privacy Standards in a Global World" will be held on 3 November 2009 in Madrid, Spain, in conjunction with the 31st Annual International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners. This one-day event organized by The Public Voice Coalition aims to "Review the privacy developments of the past year and release the current edition of the Privacy and Human Rights report;" "Promote civil society participation in decisions concerning the protection of privacy as both a fundamental human right and an essential facilitator for a global economy;" "Develop global privacy standards in a global world," and "Review and coordinate civil society involvement in privacy discussions in regional and other global arenas such as the United Nations Internet Governance Forum, The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, among others.

Some of the issues to be addressed at the civil society conference will include: A country by-country privacy overview: Are governments getting better at protecting citizens' data or is the surveillance society expanding?; Examples and experience sharing of privacy and data protection rights advocacy around the world; What can be achieved and lessons to be learned; Your Data in the Cloud: What if it Rains?"; Newest emerging issues and their implications for consumer digital rights: Cloud Computing, Search and Privacy and Google Book Settlement; "Freedom of Movement: Bridges, Channels or Walls": Transborder Data Flow in the public and private Sector: From Passenger Name Records and financial transactions to Outsourcing Personal Data. When should data flows be facilitated and when should they be blocked?. A panel on "Towards Global Privacy Standards?" will also be held. The panel will discuss the key elements necessary to be included in a global privacy framework. For example, the right to access to his or her personal data as a key element to empower any citizen to exercise his or her right to control their own personal information.