Bermuda hopes to leverage its experience creating legislative frameworks for international business in its work to create privacy regulations.

Vance Campbell, the Minister of Tourism and the Cabinet Office, told attendees at the 45th Global Privacy Assembly that the Government was committed to upholding the rights of individuals and establish a robust framework for data protection

“Bermuda, with its unique position as a crossroads in the Atlantic, has always been a place where diverse influences merge,” he said.

“In this new era, we are navigating in uncharted waters. The rapid advancements in technology bring with them unparalleled opportunities and challenges. As we embrace the benefits that they bring, we must also be vigilant in ensuring that our personal information remains secure and our privacy rights intact.

“This is particularly relevant to Bermuda given our drive to act as a host jurisdiction for data servers, a drive that has had a recent boost with the announcement of a new fibre link between Europe and the US that lands here.”

While Mr Campbell said that Bermuda had “only recently joined this debate”, the island was a leader in the business regulatory arena for many years.

“Our approach to privacy is an extension of this,” he said. “As many of you are fully aware, the road to privacy as an intrinsic part of business operations is a journey.

“This is certainly the case for Bermuda. A key part of this journey is ensuring a culture of privacy in the various spaces within our community.”

The global forum opened on Sunday at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club with more than 130 protection and privacy commissioners taking part.

A wide range of topics are being discussed, including the latest developments in technology and the accelerated use of a wide variety of technological tools, artificial intelligence, algorithmic programming, automated decision-making, blockchain, metaverse, big data analysis and cross-border data transfers.