Former UK Information Commissioner joins 5Rights Foundation Board

11 April 2022

Elizabeth Denham CBE, formerly UK Information Commissioner at the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), adds her wealth of expertise in data protection and data privacy to the 5Rights Foundation Board.

In her role at the ICO, Denham oversaw the introduction of the UK Age Appropriate Design Code. Since its introduction, the Code has prompted some of the biggest names in tech to change the way they operate and put children’s wellbeing first. For example, TikTok and Instagram have disabled direct messages between children and adults they do not follow, and Google have made SafeSearch the default browsing mode for all under 18s.

Elizabeth Denham CBE said:

“I am delighted to be joining such a dedicated team of advocates, whose mission is closely aligned with my own. Introducing the Age Appropriate Design Code was my proudest achievement at the ICO. It is part of a new era of tech regulation where society is putting rules and accountability in place for the digital world.

“Children’s rights and wellbeing should be at the heart of this sea-change – for far too long they have been left to fend for themselves in a world that is not designed for them. I look forward to contributing to 5Rights’ pioneering work to deliver the digital world that young people deserve.”

Baroness Beeban Kidron OBE, Chair of 5Rights Foundation, said:

“We are absolutely delighted that Elizabeth is joining the board of 5Rights Foundation. Our trustees are global experts all committed to creating a better digital world for children.

“Elizabeth’s appointment brings with it her deep knowledge of data privacy and experience of implementing data regulation. 5Rights is at the forefront of the demand to redesign the digital world to be more empowering, age appropriate, and safe for young people – Elizabeth will be an incredible asset in support of that change.”

Denham joins 5Rights at a time when the Age Appropriate Design Code is being considered around the globe with the recent introduction of the California Age Appropriate Design Code Bill in Silicon Valley’s home state, and Ireland publishing their Fundamentals for a Child-Oriented Approach to Data Processing in December 2021. As other jurisdictions around the world – including Denham’s home country of Canada – develop similar proposals to give children the safety and privacy they deserve in the digital world, her expertise will help the organisation bring in the next chapter of this ground-breaking regulation.

Elizabeth Denham joins Baroness Beeban Kidron, Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid, Professor Shoshana Zuboff, Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Louise Macdonald OBE, Dr. Ansgar Koene, Manuel Costescu, Sir Peter Wanless, Rhiannon Lawson, and Dr. Towela Nyirenda Jere. Together with the small but dynamic team at 5Rights led by Executive Director Nick Martlew, they work to build the digital world children deserve.