Responsible innovation and the protection of minors: two priorities for the G7 Data Protection Authorities

03 July 2025

The Data Protection Authorities of the G7 countries met in Ottawa from 17 to 20 June 2025 under the chairmanship of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. They adopted a declaration calling for the development of technologies that respect the rights of individuals, particularly minors.

The CNIL was represented at this high-level event by its president, Marie-Laure Denis, and Bertrand du Marais, commissioner responsible for international issues.

In a Declaration, the Data Protection Authorities of the G7 countries have reiterated that the confidence of individuals in the respect of their data protection rights is essential for the adoption of innovations, be they new technologies or new digital services. In particular, they draw the attention of innovative organisations to the importance of respecting the principle of data protection by design, in order to facilitate the spread of responsible innovation. Since minors are particularly vulnerable in the digital world, greater vigilance is expected from these organisations.

The two days of meetings also provided an opportunity for the chairmen of the G7 data protection authorities to talk to Canadian experts, including Professor Yoshua Bengio, on the opportunities and risks raised by the most advanced artificial intelligence systems and by quantum computing.

On 20 June, a symposium on the protection of minors in the digital world was held in the presence of representatives of children themselves, thanks to the members of Canada's National Youth Advisory Committee.

France will hold the presidency of the G7 in 2026. The CNIL will host the next G7 Data Protection Authorities Round Table in Paris in 2026.