Debugged S4E10: Navigating Data Privacy and Law with Juliana Spofford

Hello! Welcome back to Debugged, the Congressional App Challenge’s alumni-led podcast that connects the country’s youth with technology by debugging the intricate world of computer science.

In this episode, host Medha Gupta has the pleasure of chatting with Juliana Spofford! Juliana is the Chief Privacy Officer and General Counsel for Aidentified, a data and relationship prospecting service. She has over 30 years of experience in the industry providing legal advice to various data services and law companies!

Juliana got into the world of privacy by coincidence, when she agreed to work as a lawyer at a data services company. Over time, her work portfolio started to include more startups, as privacy and security became more of a focus for companies of any size. She also mentioned how privacy is increasingly becoming important across industries and countries as the rate at which technology changes rapidly increases.

Then, when asked for a specific international body that has done a really good jobwhen it comes to data privacy and ethics, in her opinion, she began to discuss the EU and its implementation of GDPR well before required. She notes how its implementation was especially notable and interesting to her, because the United States did (and still does not) have a federal privacy law. She later shared her opinion on why a federal privacy law might be beneficial.

Finally, for the remainder of the episode, she gave advice to students interested in a career revolving around data privacy—whether it be a lawyer, or even engineers who implement data privacy laws into software! Tune in to this week’s episode of Debugged to hear more of Juliana’s fascinating career insights, and advice for you.

More about Debugged

Founded in 2021 by the Congressional App Challenge’s Alumni Advisory Board, Debugged is a unique podcast experience that seeks to redefine STEM education, shine a light on diverse voices, and further the narrative around a myriad of computer science topics. By highlighting trends in the industry, breaking down complicated concepts, and interviewing high profile guests, listeners are given the opportunity to delve into the world of technology in an analytical yet engaging way.

Debugged is free to stream on your favorite platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more via Anchor.fm! To be the first to know about new episodes, and to learn more about the team of eleven alumni behind every one, follow @cacdebugged on Instagram and X. Thank you so much for your viewership; we hope you enjoy the episode!