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In this episode of The Data Diva Talks Privacy, Debbie Reynolds, "The Data Diva," speaks with Michael Simon, Founder, Law+Data, LLC, about the intersection of privacy, data governance, and the real-world consequences of how data and technology are used today. The conversation moves beyond theory to examine how emerging technologies are already impacting individuals, organizations, and legal frameworks.

Debbie and Michael explore recent events that highlight the growing risks associated with technology and data use, including a widely discussed incident in which a driver claimed a Tesla vehicle malfunction led to a crash, and another case involving a woman arrested for using AI-driven identification. These examples illustrate how reliance on automated systems, data interpretation, and emerging technologies can raise serious legal, privacy, and due-process concerns.

The discussion examines how organizations and legal professionals must think more critically about data accuracy, accountability, and the assumptions built into technological systems. Michael provides insight into how legal frameworks struggle to keep pace with technological advancements and how misapplied or misunderstood data can lead to significant consequences for individuals.

Debbie Reynolds, the Data Diva, and Michael also address the broader implications for businesses, including the importance of implementing strong data governance practices, ensuring transparency in how data is used, and understanding the legal exposure that can arise when decisions are driven by automated or data-dependent systems. The episode emphasizes that data governance and privacy are not abstract concepts but essential safeguards that directly affect real people and real outcomes.

This conversation offers a grounded, practical perspective on how current events are shaping the future of privacy, law, and data responsibility, and why organizations must take a more deliberate, informed approach to managing data in an increasingly complex environment.

By popular demand, Debbie Reynolds Consulting is now offering executive briefings on emerging data privacy risks and how companies can avoid them. To learn more, visit the Executive briefings page on my website.

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Michelle Finneran Dennedy, Chief Data Strategy Officer, Abaxx Technologies

In this episode, Debbie Reynolds, the Data Diva speaks with Michelle Finneran Dennedy, Chief Data Strategy Officer at Abaxx Technologies, about the evolution of privacy as a discipline and its intersection with data strategy, technology, and business operations.

Michelle shares her professional journey from patent litigation into privacy leadership, including her experience building privacy programs and helping organizations operationalize privacy across complex environments. The conversation explores how privacy has evolved from a legal compliance function into a core business discipline that requires alignment across legal, engineering, and executive teams.

Debbie and Michelle discuss the importance of translating complex regulatory and technical requirements into actionable practices that organizations can implement. They examine how organizations must move beyond reactive compliance approaches and instead develop forward-looking strategies that anticipate changes in regulation and technology.

The discussion also explores how data strategy intersects with infrastructure, identity, and emerging technologies, including how systems are designed, how data is structured, and how organizations manage data across environments. Michelle highlights the importance of communication in bridging disciplinary gaps and ensuring that privacy concepts are understood and applied effectively.

The episode emphasizes the need for cross-functional collaboration, practical implementation strategies, and systems that reflect both technical realities and the human impact of data use.

By popular demand, Debbie Reynolds Consulting is now offering executive briefings on emerging data privacy risks and how companies can avoid them. To learn more, visit the Executive briefings page on my website.

Support the show

Become an insider, join Data Diva Confidential for data strategy and data privacy insights delivered to your inbox.

💡 Receive expert briefings, practical guidance, and exclusive resources designed for leaders shaping the future of data and AI.

👉 Join here: http://bit.ly/3Jb8S5p

Debbie Reynolds Consulting, LLC

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Merry Marwig, Vice President, Global Communications & Advocacy, Privacy4Cars
In this episode, Debbie Reynolds, the Data Diva, speaks with Merry Marwig, Vice President, Global Communications & Advocacy at Privacy4Cars, about privacy risks in connected vehicles and the expanding automotive data ecosystem.
Merry explains that modern vehicles function as sophisticated data platforms that continuously collect and transmit data on drivers, passengers, and vehicle activity. The conversation explores the types of data collected, including location data, behavioral data, infotainment usage, diagnostic data, and other signals generated through connected systems, as well as how that data is shared across manufacturers, dealerships, service providers, insurers, and third-party technology providers.

Debbie and Merry discuss the complexity of data flows within the automotive ecosystem, including the roles of controllers, processors, and third parties, and how these relationships create challenges for transparency, accountability, and consent. The discussion highlights how individuals often lack visibility into how their data is used and shared across multiple entities.
The conversation also includes a discussion of Debbie Reynolds, the Data Diva’s work on the Internet of Things Advisory Board report with the U.S. Department of Commerce, and how that work highlighted many of the same issues now seen in connected vehicles, including data sharing across ecosystems, lack of transparency, and challenges with governance and accountability in multi-party environments.

Debbie and Merry examine consumer awareness gaps, including the fact that most individuals do not fully understand the extent of data collection in vehicles or how their information is used. They also discuss what happens to personal data when a vehicle is sold, transferred, or serviced, and the importance of tools and processes that allow individuals to manage, delete, or control their data across the vehicle lifecycle.

The episode also covers regulatory developments impacting automotive privacy, the role of advocacy organizations in improving industry practices, and the importance of clear communication between companies and consumers. The discussion emphasizes the need for organizations to integrate privacy into product design and governance processes while balancing innovation and responsible data use.

By popular demand, Debbie Reynolds Consulting is now offering executive briefings on emerging data privacy risks and how companies can avoid them. To learn more, visit the Executive briefings page on my website.

Support the show

Become an insider, join Data Diva Confidential for data strategy and data privacy insights delivered to your inbox.

💡 Receive expert briefings, practical guidance, and exclusive resources designed for leaders shaping the future of data and AI.

👉 Join here: http://bit.ly/3Jb8S5p

Debbie Reynolds Consulting, LLC