FUTURELAB MAGAZINE| VOLUME 03| 2020

FUTURELAB MAGAZINE

HELLO THERE , READER !

Th i s fi rst m on th of spri n g d i d n ot j u st com e wi th wa rm th bu t g rea t opportu n i ti es for ou r soci a l i m pa ct org a n i za ti on As a l eg a l & system s d esi g n er , I j oi n ed ' Lea d i n g wi th Arti fi ci a l I n tel l i g en ce La b ' a col l a bora ti on between G l oba l Lea d ersh i p Aca d em y ( G LAC ) a n d th e I n tern a ti on a l Tra i n i n g Cen tre of th e I LO ( I TCI LO ) com pri si n g of a g rou p of g l oba l l ea d ers a n d ch a n g e m a kers d em ysti fyi n g a n d co - crea ti n g i n i ti a ti ves for a h u m a n - cen tered AI

Desi g n i s fl u i d i ty of i d ea s a n d th e fi rst th i n g th a t ca m e to m y m i n d wh en I en vi si on ed th e n ext com i n g th ree m on th s wa s a refl ecti on of two worl d s , th e pa st a n d th e fu tu re I t spea ks vol u m e to h ow we th e ' n ew' a n d th e ' ol d ' m erg es i n ri si n g tech n ol og y a n d th a t we d on ' t n eed to repl a ce wh a t a l rea d y exi sts bu t ra th er to m a ke i t u ser - fri en d l y a n d a ccessi bl e to th e u ser

Th e i l l u stra ti on a bove a n d th i s d i g i ta l m a g a zi n e refl ects m y th ou g h ts on AI .

YO U R S TR U LY ,

from the editor

Newman Ramatokwane

A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE FINALIST

Newman Tshepo Ramatokwane is a well-seasoned entrepreneur who aims to inspire and empower his peers in the creative and corporate industries respectively. Born in the year 1990 in the capital city of Botswana, Newman has always had a knack for entrepreneurship as he was raised in a business oriented family His business savvy nature began to bloom at the tender age of 10 as he would sell art drawings to his classmates and polish his elder siblings’ shoes for an extra buck

As a teen, he read the financial literacy sensation “Rich Kid, Smart kid” by Robert Kiyosaki which catapulted his entrepreneurial interests. In high school he began designing & customizing t-shirts under a clothing label known as Black Star that became a big delight amongst his peers at the time. Between 2009 and 2010 he dropped out of two different colleges but what kept him motivated to keep trying was a quote he had read by Confucius that says “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones” He then began to take small strides to accomplish his dreams.

“Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others cant” he says It all began with Paulman Holdings in 2010, which at the time was a company that specialized in automobile headlight restoration, event consultation & catering services. With patience, perseverance and hard work in 2015 the company became fully operational and found a niche in transport and logistics industry It embarked on asset acquisition first to support Native Events but equally get to capture the market of Botswana as time goes on. Paulman currently transports goods across Southern Africa with a fleet of 7 trucks

Towards the end of 2013, Newman co - founded Native Stretch Tents and Canopies, which was then a company that primarily hired out stretch tents only. In 2014 almost a year after starting the business, he parted ways with his then partner & went on to run the business alone What started out as an idea with 1 employee was now turning out to be possible dream. Having paid attention to trends in his industry over years he noticed a niche in corporate events and soon changed the company to trade as Native Events, working towards turning a traditionally oriented market into a urbanized modern one, offering unique event solutions such as custom furniture manufacturing per event (tailor made event solutions).

As the company gained momentum in the industry and resolved to dominate the industry, Native Events fast became one of the best youth-owned in-house event solution providers countrywide The company has achieved exponential growth year-on-year since inception, and equally gained recognition and won the Botswana Global Expo’s Best Small Medium Enterprise award for the year 2015 & 2016 respectively. The company offers event consultation and management, structural erections, furniture hire and event security solutions Identified as one of the best 360-event solutions companies in the country, having started from a 1bedroom house, the company managed to self-fund its growth and move to a 1000sqm warehouse with over 5000 furniture pieces to chose from

The growth from Native Events led to diversity into other industries of interest as follows:

1. Paulman Holdings - Transport and Logistics

2 Fairscape – Property Development & Management

3 Paper Valley – Accounting & Business Advisory

4. 52.Sundays – Digital and Experiential Marketing Agency

5. NuBar – Mobile & Online Bar Service.

He has worked diligently to build a value-chain based business network where all businesses sustain each other & has created employment for many

CREATIVE

Born a visual artist & turned into a creative entrepreneur, Newman has always had a unique perspective that he brings to the table, and this enabled him to always stand out. His first furniture piece under Native Events was sketched and manufactured by him Those that know his story well, will tell you that he is first person to recycle wooden pallets, metal drums and tyres into creative furniture pieces. This made his product offerings very unique & allowed him to penetrate the events market with fresh new ideas all the time. As it stands, he currently employs the best creative and resourceful individuals across his businesses, of which he mostly trains to adapt to his culture of doing things. His forever hands on and looking for the next best idea to tap into.

LEADER & MENTOR

Across this business portfolio, Newman has employed 20 full-time staff and roughly 10 part-time contract staff all of which were specifically chosen & trained by him Over the last years he has created employment for over 100 individuals, both young and old. In 2016 he began his journey as an amateur public speaker participating in forums such as De Beers Youth Innovators Botswana 2016 session He has also given motivational talks at youth seminars hosted by AIESEC and TAWLA over the years at the university of Botswana. He has been mentoring 1 mentee for the last 2 years and has since opened up to helping others through his Facebook page called thinkBusiness ThinkBusiness is a platform he created to assist young and upcoming entrepreneurs to realize their potential and ability to overcome business failures, challenges and mistakes.

Newman has made various strides to contribute and give back to the community at large Over & above playing his role in combating the unemployment problem that the country has been facing over the years, he has also shown local support to the youth in arts by sponsoring various events through Native Events over the last 6 years. Late 2019 he partnered with students from Limkokwing University to donate tables and chairs to a primary school in order to set up creative corners in student classrooms with the aim to help ignite their creative minds. BENEFACTOR

In an effort to offer relief during the COVID 19 pandemic, Newman sponsored Gaborone City Council with a transport fleet from Paulman Holdings to aid in the delivery of food relief packages to various homes affected by the pandemic He continues to spread the spirit of botho, unity & compassion in his growth

The Editorial had an opportunity to tap into his thoughts and with his welcoming generosity, Newman took us through his entreneurship journey

When did you first know that you wanted to be a business person?

After learning how to provide a service for a value at a tender age, I knew that I was never going to be able to work for someone By then I was a young creative, hardworking and self driven kid turned enterpriser. These here ingredients drove me to become the man I am today, an aspiring entrepreneur

What was the first thing you ever sold?

At the age of 7, I started selling cartoon character inspired drawings to my classmates and polished my siblings's shoes at home for a buck

Newman Ramatokwane

NEWMAN RAMATOKWANE

What is the biggest problem you see in the retail industry today?

There are always new challenges facing businesses as the retail industry rapidly changes due to technological evolution. Consumer behavior is changing rapidly, and this is largely because of the explosive growth of e-commerce Business owners have endless options for technology platforms that can streamline and help scale up their businesses. Out of this, brand loyalty has become a much more prevalent term because customers have so many more options available to them today Changes in what customers want and expect can change even faster than you could ever imagine was possible Therefore, retailers need to be aware of seasonal trends and sudden changes in customer shopping behaviors Historically has always had a high employee turnover rate, and this is still the case today. One of the greatest challenges of a retail business is to keep a core of long-term staff

Tell us about the mobile App you recently launched?

Well its not a mobile app yet but rather an eCommerce platform/website that allows one to access our services and products at the comfort of their hand The Nubar website idea came to me during the first lockdown I had been thinking about it for a while though, a way to provide my clients with the mobile bar experience from the comfort of their homes At the click of a button, www nubar co bw you can now order your favorite beverage and have it delivered to your doorstep in under an hour Launched on the 24th of June 2020, Nubar online platform provides a better, cheaper, & faster alcohol delivery service to Greater Gaborone

Newman Ramatokwane

How did you progress to getting involved with distribution?

My very first business is in the transport and logistics industry ‘Paulman’. With years of experience and the know-how in the field, it was a bit easier for me to understand how the model of distribution works and actually fit it right into my plan for Nubar Its not an easy task but we learn as we experience People no longer have the time or desire to hear a sales call or flip through a dense paper catalog. Instead, people are leaning towards performing their own research, inquiries, and purchases online and at their own convenience

You were selected on Forbes Africa 30 under 30 list? tell us more about the experience

I am really honoured to have been listed on the Forbes Africa 30 under 30, 2020. Its all about dedication to one’s dream, hard work & persistence, that's how I got here. I am constantly working towards self improvement and towards how best to grow my businesses in more innovative ways The most important thing about my listing is the fact that it will inspire other young entrepreneurs and prove that hard work does gain recognition beyond boarderlines.

What would your piece of advice be to entrepreneurs who are currently pivoting their business models?

We're no longer in an age where you're the only specialized company in town Today, buyers can go online and get exactly what they're looking for shipped right to their workplace in a matter of days If your services don't meet their standards, then your competitors are just a few clicks away, and your buyers won't hesitate to make the switch If you can't be found online at all, you're missing out on a wealth of opportunities, as more than 75% of today's industrial buyers start their research with a query on Google or another online database. Making e-commerce style changes isn't just something that can help boost your sales; it's a move that will save your business from failing as more and more buyers move online

LEGALTECH STAKEHOLDERS AT CONTACT LENS

By Leah Molatseli

With all the fuss and fanfare about Legal Technology, we must never forget that for the law to be inclusive and develop in a way that truly is people-centered, there are many role players who need to join in this movement. What follows below is a brief overview of Legal Tech Stakeholders This is based on the South African context given our unique set of circumstances.

LEGAL TECHNOLOGY STARTUPS AND/OR BUSINESSES

Legal technology startups and/or businesses are those that develop legal tech tools and solutions They are the most important stakeholders because they are responsible for the disruption of the legal industry

LAWYERS

Lawyers are some of the end-users for whom legal tech tools and/or solutions are developed, irrespective of whether they are in private practice or work in other environments At a macro level, this includes the LPC, which regulates the legal industry, and at a micro level, individual lawyers (those who are in practice or not)

THE JUDICIARY

The judiciary are also end-users, because some of the technology used (particularly that such as Court Tech) also has an impact on the way they perform their work nowadays. By judiciary I mean all the different courts: from the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) and the Constitutional Court (CC) to specialized courts, High Courts, regional and magistrates’ courts, and mobile courts.

STATUTORILY CREATED BODIES WHICH FACILITATE ACCESS TO JUSTICE

Statutorily created bodies which facilitate access to justice include the Legal Aid Board South Africa, the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) and other bargaining councils. These bodies are stakeholders because their clients are often some of the greatest beneficiaries of legal tech tools and for the simple reason that embracing technology will accelerate their respective mandates in facilitating access to justice

OTHER LEGAL BODIES INVESTED IN THE EDUCATION OF LEGAL MINDS

University law faculties, the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) and Legal Education and Development SA, all of which are responsible for legal education and the legal empowerment of legal minds in South Africa, should also be considered stakeholders in legal tech

CLIENTS

Clients are also stakeholders because they are the beneficiaries of the legal services and/or solutions provided to them by lawyers and legal tech startups

LEGAL INSURANCE COMPANIES

Legal insurance companies are the intermediaries who provide legal insurance for the public and sometimes also provide non-litigious legal services And because they play such an integral part as intermediaries between the public and lawyers, they too are stakeholders, and the use of technology tools in performing their tasks could possibly make their work more efficient.

LEGAL TECH ECOSYSTEMS

Legal tech ecosystems are those created specifically for the adoption, creation and fostering of legal innovation and technology both in South Africa and in Africa as a continent. These ecosystems include organisations such as The Hague Institute for Innovating In Law (HiiL), The Innovation Law Club Africa, Africa Legal Tech Network and different incubators and accelerators which focus on tech entrepreneurs at a macro level. These stakeholders form an important part of the support needed for startups in the legal tech industry.

These are but mere examples and showcases the gravity of the legal tech movement If we are ever to move the needle, collaborative mindsets are key.

I write about this and more in my upcoming book titled: #légaltech startups & innovation: A South African Perspective To get a copy continue following me on @leahmolatseli for your details of the launch For more subscribe: www.perekofoundation.org

About the Writer: Lawyer| @lenomalegal | Mandela Washington Fellow| Top100 Most Influential Young SAn | Legal Technology Specialist | Follow link to download SA legal documents.

2020 TAX FILING SEASON CHANGES

By Tumelo Rannau

The 2020 tax year filing season is upon us, this year the filing season will end on the 30th of November and not September as it is the norm This was announced by Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) during the regular Covid19 updates beamed by various media houses. There are more interesting changes for the 2020 tax year which will likely remain in force even beyond Covid19 restrictions. Among those is the increase of the individual return filing threshold from P36, 001 to P144, 000. The P36, 001 threshold was set in July 2011 as an attempt to keep individual taxpayers engaged in tax compliance matters

The Acting Commissioner General of BURS stated at the press briefing that the exercise has led to the tax register being reduced by over 50%.

He further stated that one of the reasons they decided to focus on the higher bracket is because there are more tax collection opportunities for high earners than at the lower brackets and therefore it will be more efficient to chase them than the lower ones whose income is almost insignificant. The move is expected to free up resources that can now focus on audits and other area of opportunities where more tax can be collected. Before this move was announced, the revenue authority employees spent most of the time issuing NIL assessments for a lot of taxpayers whose tax was correctly paid by their employers. The time and other resources committed to such assessments and receiving of returns did not bring any meaningful returns to the revenue authority as tax paid and payable were always the same.

As the Minister of Finance and Economic Development announced during this year’s budget, BURS is working on improving efficiency in revenue collection. That includes wise management of resources that are at their disposal such as human resources. The reduction of the tax register by over 50% is also expected to improve performance of the system as only necessary information will be uploaded in the system reducing burden on the information systems as only useful data will be captured. This will also improve decision making within BURS as the quality of the data they are exposed to is improved. Data analytics has become an important aspect of tax administration, employing this mechanism on selected and more useful data will also ensure that these modern techniques are used efficiently based on the risks associated with those taxpayers.

Submission of returns for taxpayers with income less than P144, 000 and have more than one source of income remains compulsory Therefore, those with additional income such as rental, transport and other sources should declare and file returns provided the income is more than P36, 000. This is so as most of the time the additional income is not subject to any tax and therefore BURS will only be able to recover when declared by the taxpayer BURS will be depending mostly on the voluntary declaration by taxpayers; however, they will also use data analytics through information provided by other taxpayers to check if all earned revenue has been declared. Sources range from tax returns submitted by other taxpayers, government departments and publicly available data.

For employees who have had more than one employer during the tax year there is always risk that there might be under deductions as one might have moved from a lower tax bracket to a higher tax bracket Hence the need to submit the tax return and determine if there is any tax liability one should settle for that particular tax year. Another move that has been introduced by BURS for this filing season is the use of identity card number (Omang) for citizens as their taxpayer identification number As part of the harmonization process the government decided that citizens should be able to use their identity number at all public (and private) service outlets using only one identification number without having to produce different identity numbers when they access services at different departments.

Tumelo Rannau is a Tax Practitioner with over 6 years of experience

He started his career in the big four accounting firms where he was exposed to several industries such as manufacturing, financial services, retail and no profit sectors.

He started his career in the big four accounting firms where he was exposed to several industries such as manufacturing, financial services, retail and no profit sectors He does trainings on different tax topics tailored to the needs of the audience He is also the author of Taxation of not for Profit Organizations and The Farmer’s Tax Handbook.

ECONOMICS AND CAREER PLANNING

By Ken Allen

“What would optimize flexibility with family, optimize income, and maximize positive impact, either at home or internationally?” Those questions that were asked by my son when starting college are tough but good questions, because there is no right nor wrong answer There isn't any one direction; only personal biases. It depends on what a person likes to do

To make an impact, first decide whether to try to do it on a large scale or one person at a time. Consider whether to be an adviser or a prime mover An adviser must have expertise and credibility to be sought out The prime movers are the business owners, political leaders and the financiers who put their lives and careers at risk to try to make a difference

There may appear to be a wider impact by starting at the top, but it is a very slow process. By contrast, the Latter-day Saint Mission experience, the Peace Corps experience, and numerous other humanitarian efforts can have direct personal impact by dealing directly with individuals. That is very satisfying. It may seem slow, and often it may take a generation to make real differences, but the differences can be profound, life-changing, and long-lasting impacting generations. Now a short lesson in economics:

There are three types of careers:

1 Wealth creation careers, 2. Support service careers, and 3 Wealth distribution careers

However, some of the most instructive education one could have in how economy works is to try to run a company that has products or services to deliver, employees to pay, money to collect, supplies to inventory and financing to secure Every entity, from a sole proprietorship to a church to a multinational corporation to a government, must deal with all of the same issues of operating a self-sustaining "business."

The more one understands one's own role in any entity of the economy, the more control one can develop over one's own life within that context. (I have a theory. It is that Soviet-style communism failed as an economic system not only because Marxist theories of capitalism were fundamentally flawed, but because the economy was closed and the tax rate was so high that it drained all the productivity and incentive and wealth creation out of its economy Even now the effective tax rate of the current government in Russia probably exceeds 100% for most people Russia is a country incredibly rich in natural and intellectual resources, but lack of trust and motivation and basic business sense and corruption is sapping the economy. There are solutions, but many of them are painful )

As for my career, it turns out I got lucky I am doing something I really like doing--and I am really good at it. I probably would not have done anything else quite as well. Electrical engineering, advanced degree, telecommunications specialty, law school, patent law, further specializing in writing and obtaining patents. I get to work with some of the best and brightest in the world in this field, and they are very upbeat in all their work with me. For me it is great. But for some people it would be incredibly tedious and boring, and the level of care and detail work required would be stressful.

If I were not really good at what I do, what might I have done? I might have continued in science or computer science, using the flexibility that six semesters of undergraduate applied math and two semesters of graduate math gave me as prerequisites to technical areas like basic physics (As an aside, it is sad that math is so poorly taught in most high schools and in college. It is kind of like having language classes in grammar all the time, instead of literature.

In fact, math can be as exciting as any literature course.) Beyond the first-year level of college math, the typical student doesn't really need to solve hard math problems but will need to understand the vocabulary Courses in statistics and all the economics, finance and accounting are useful in careers in business.

Accounting is the language of business. It is not high math, but to someone who can get through calculus, it shouldn’t be too hard. I would not push science on someone who doesn’t enjoy it, but students should be aware that the majority of high value career opportunities in the future are for those with technology backgrounds or are in technical fields in support of new technology, so that it is worth at least considering those career options. There is no reason to cut oneself off from opportunities simply out of fear and laziness. It is more likely than not that the non-technical person is going to end up working for someone with a technical background. Wouldn't it be better to be in a position to lead rather than merely to follow?

An undergraduate degree, any degree, except perhaps a specialty trade, such as plumbing or piano tuning, merely prepares one to work for someone else Many have discovered all too late the limitations on a career path by having only a technician's background For some it is appropriate; for others it is a source of regret. A master's degree is nearly essential today for any sort of career growth potential. A professional degree is qualification for many leadership and autonomous positions that allow growth, flexibility and income potential PhD’s often end up as college teachers They often enjoy maximum flexibility but relatively low income from their institution, but they can often make money on the side by consulting in their field of expertise. So look around for unfilled needs and then work to fill it

About Author:

Ken Allen of Silicon Valley, is a well-known patent lawyer, now retired, of a prominent international intellectual property law practice, as well as father of five, professional and community leader, videographer, writer, and volunteer missionary in Germany, Russia and South Africa.

A master's degree in business is often a great entrée for helping people. It takes only 18 months of classes beyond a bachelor's degree, although it is also helpful to have a technical master's or another specialty such as accounting before the MBA. I thought seriously about an MBA, especially after seeing what the students at Harvard and Stanford Business Schools could do right out of graduate school But I had already set my course, eliminating both the interest in a PhD and an MBA.

Where to do graduate work is often important Whole vistas open up to those who get a Master's in business at a Stanford or a Cal or a Harvard Some of the top-tier firms recruit only at so-called top-tier schools. The schools often look for people with unusual backgrounds during the business school admissions process. Good grades may well qualify for admission right out of undergraduate school And even if admission is denied at first application, it is worth applying again it after completing a master's program or working for a while

Today even nonprofit and charity organizations have adopted the vocabulary of business as they realize that they too are businesses They have to generate more revenues than they expend. The more revenue they get, the more they can help others and the easier it is to get quality people to work for them. Advising such service providers, or even governments, given an appropriate range of interests and talents and desire to serve, is itself a career choice. In science and technology, an undergraduate science degree can be leveraged into a lot of very interesting careers. In the life sciences area, the hottest fields of the twenty-first century are in biotechnology. It is not particularly math intensive, and it is going to be incredibly lucrative

Treatments, diagnostic tools, and new products will soon become available that will change the world as much as the birth control pill has transformed society since 1960: perhaps cure cancer, provide more and better foods and improve personal health, fight pandemics. People will be needed to deliver and support these products and services. Nearly all of the business leaders have doctorates too, and they are riding herd on other doctorate types in biotech.

Then there are more mundane careers. One of my colleagues suggested a career that provided flexibility of hours, good income and which has a significant human impact for good is orthodontia, a specialty after completion of a degree in dentistry. A good approach is to decide what to do from the point of view of some need that is to be filled. Economics and finance are good basic training in any field Learning how an economy really works and how to help people develop selfsufficiency is a good background for either a business degree or a law degree. Then teach, consult, advocate, counsel--and get paid for doing it

One interesting field of law is immigration law An interesting specialty within the US Government is as an asylum officer for the INS A possible summer job or even a career as a loan manager of micro loans to individuals in third world countries, one of the most exciting and effective fields of direct foreign aid ever devised. Some universities are actively involved in this in South and Central America and in the Philippines It all started through a small bank in India. It has a lot of what makes a job exciting--flexibility, impact, and potentially a wealth generator. While I was lucky enough to self-finance my career, it was out of necessity. A young person with ambition and support has virtually unlimited opportunities

"This is a time to explore and come to understand the world and oneself. And don’t compromise your most valuable asset: your integrity."

Palo Alto, CA July 17, 2000

(Six years after this letter was written, my son had graduated with a degree in Spanish and South American Studies, had completed law school, and become an immigration attorney. As of 2020 he advises agencies of the US Government on immigration matters.)

CREATIVES

RE LE ASE

LegalTech Writing Workshop

Body20’s EMS training

AN D TH E WI N N E R I S. .

Siew Hui Yap, a fresh law graduate from Queen's University Belfast, UK scooped the prize.

Legal Technology is a rapidly developing field which has thrived in the face of COVID-19 as the latter has led to the shift of litigation, online and to embrace the digital agenda (and use of digital signatures in how contracts are executed).

Along with the rise of legal technology, new concepts and fields have emerged, such as legal tech writing, a unique and distinct field of creative writing. Such concept evolved when Richard Susskind wrote: ‘End of Lawyers?’ providing a sweeping assessment of today’s legal services landscape and has described the architecture of the systems that will replace it. To spread awareness and acknowledging the students with fundamentals of legal tech writing, a LegalTech writing workshop was organized by N & T’s Legal Tech ( an events and conferences company established to conduct events related to legal technology) in association with BeABP Foundation (an NGO)

ABOUT LEGALTECH WRITING WORKSHOP

The workshop lasted three days, i e , from 29th August31st August, 2020. The first session comprised of the welcome session by the Co-founder of N & T’s Legal Tech: Nabiha Khwaja, followed by the talk on legal tech writing by the speaker: Magnus Lindberg, Chief Enabler at Skye contracts and Co-author of The LEGALTECH Book Mr Magnus guided the students through the concepts of legal tech writing and the writing style to be adopted by them whilst working on their assignments. The session was followed by

The final and last session of Day 2: share your ideas was co-hosted by Karol Valencia, Legal Designer at eID, Mr Mauro Martins and Mr. Magnus Lindberg, in which they discussed recent developments in the use of AI in law and talked about possible developments in legal technology for the advancement of the legal industry

Day 3 witnessed the felicitation ceremony in which the speaker and judges were felicitated for their contribution in the workshop and then the names of the successful candidates were called out, who qualified for the legal tech writing certification In the ‘concluding and remarks’ session, participants asked about books to help them learn more about legal tech, books of Richard Susskind and Akber Datoo’s: ‘Legal Data for Banking’ were recommended

Day 2 of the workshop began with an interactive session on “writing a humanoid character” in which Nabiha Khwaja, Magnus Lindberg and Mauro Martins described their ideal humanoids and then participants, too, started asking questions and describing their ideal humanoid characters. The next session was co-hosted by Mr Mauro Martins, Design Chief Officer at PK, who discussed the impacts of Artificial Intelligence and legal tech on legal industry He discussed his views by presenting a ppt presentation.

AND THE WINNER IS...

j currently a mentor with ELM Insight’s Mentoring Scheme, offering her hands-on advice and insights to prospective and current law students. In relation, she welcomes any LinkedIn connections and is more than happy to connect and widen her horizons Putting professional interests aside, she enjoys traveling, playing sports as well as her daily rendezvous to the park with her dear dog

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CHALLENGES OF DATA PROTECTION & PRIVACY

OVERVIEW

The legal sector has always been traditional and conservative. As such, they are resistant in adapting to the changes brought by legal technologies in providing more innovative services.[1] Nevertheless, legal services are no longer immune to the innovation of legal technology.[2] The Fourth Industrial Revolution brought upon by the 5G smart cellular network which blends advanced technologies such as machine learning, offering of cognitive services and algorithmic decision making with a high-speed wireless network that bridge the gaps between the digital and physical world [3] This has not only allowed for the availability and processability of the vast amount of data, but it has also triggered an alarm on bettering our existing data protection and ethics Artificial Intelligence (AI) in its coordination with Big Data, cloud and omnipresent computing had set in motion a major shift in the data processing More than ever now, an abundance load of data from individuals worldwide are retrieved, stored, analysed and utilised [4]

[1] B Alarie, A Niblett and AH Yoon (2018) How artificial intelligence will affect the practice of law (68) University of Toronto Law Journal, p 106–124

[2] B Sheppard, 'Incomplete Innovation And The Premature Disruption Of Legal Services' (2015) 5 Michigan State Law Review, p 1797–1910

[3] '5G Brings The Fourth Industrial Revolution Here’S What It Means For Legal Systems | Legaltech News' (Legaltech News, 2020 <https://www law com/legaltechnews/2020/06/29/5g-is-unleashingthe-fourth-industrial-revolution-heres-what-it-means-for-legalsystems/> accessed 30 August 2020

[4] UNESCO-World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST), ‘Report on Robotics Ethics’, Paris 2014, p 6ff

The rising width in data transfer, data storage and computational resources, the correlation and merging of data and knowledge have greatly altered the ecosystem of information and communication As such, AI throws us off with its social, legal and ethical repercussion, presenting new obstacles to data protection and privacy. As such, there has been increasing research as well as legislative initiatives that take into account the impact of technological advancement on the law and society

With the increasingly innovative society we reside in, where the development and application of new information and communication technologies have been boosted by the pandemic, it is crucial for legal regulations to be enforced right away to address the rapid distribution of data that comes at the cost of data protection. Thus, this article aims to provide an overview of the effects of the Industrial Revolution 4 0 with regards to the processing of data and whether its protected and ethics are ensured and upheld

GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION

The expansive use of the internet, as well as increasingly modernised services online, continuously give new challenges for regulators to adapt Advancement into a data-driven economy has brought on unprecedented peril. Thus, the key to counteracting the rapid expanse of information and communication technology lies in data protection and privacy law [5] However, the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC of the European Union introduced back in the 70s is now outdated and redundant, which poses more vulnerability towards ensuring data protection “than most people had assumed” [6] This is because the technological evolution and omnipresent nature of computing undermines the fundamental principles of the “traditional” data protection law of the notice and consent model as well as the limitation principle. [7]

[5] M Butterworth, ‘The ICO and artificial intelligence: The role of fairness in the GDPR framework’, p 258

[6] Peter Hustinx, ‘EU Data Protection Law: The Review of Directive 95/46/EC and the Proposed General Data Protection Regulation’ (2013)

[7] A Mantelero, ‘The future of consumer data protection in the EU Re-thinking the “notice and consent” paradigm in the new era of predictive analytics’ (2014) Computer Law & Security Review 30(6) p 643-660, 645

Author: Siew Hui Yap

The implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) aims to address the loss of relevance of the Directive by introducing technology-neutral provisions that do not target specific technologies but technologies as a whole. This becomes an umbrella regulation that covers current and future, unpredictable technologies.

Under Article 5(1)(a) GDPR, it is stated that personal data must be “processed fairly, lawfully and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject” This means that any lawful data processing requires the data collector to fulfill one of the grounds under GDPR Article 6(1) of GDPR refers to the acquisition of the data subject’s consent as well as five grounds to lawful data processing. Moreover, one condition has to be met under Article 6,7 and 9 of GDPR such as but not limited to the consent of the data subject to ensure data subject’s decision to allow usage of his data can be safeguarded.

ISSUES

Nevertheless, consent as to data processing is constantly scrutinized as being a matter-of-procedure and baseless, even being considered a fallacy at that. This is because such terms and condition as to data protection and privacy often come as a cookie pop-up or a pop-up notice that merely requires the site user to click on the “OK” button When data subjects grant the consent for their data to be collected as a trade-off to access the website, they are seemingly forced into such procedure as they would not be admitted into the site if they do not consent to the cookie

The same applies as to data given voluntarily upon contractual agreement When data subjects register themselves and accept the mandatory privacy notice in order to access the contents of an online platform In doing so, these site users may reveal their personal data into the hands of suspicious bodies whereby their data might be collected and used for any ill intent that might put the users at a detrimental position Take online shopping as an example, when we shop for online products, it is natural for us to insert all our payment details be it in credit or debit when such data is not safeguarded or deleted by the site owner after they have processed the data, these data may fall into the hands of hackers or unauthorized personnel where they may abuse the data for their own benefit As such, efficient data protection may not be ensured and ethical standards may not be upheld

Therefore, regulations related to consent should be stipulated in such that data subjects are made aware of the identity of the controller, the type of data that will be processed as well the purpose for processing the data for its intended purpose. Even so, as people generally do not take the time to read the privacy notices, it is questionable as to whether such legislation could ensure for safeguards As we would not know how our personal data is used, this makes it “impossible to meaningfully consent to the use of our data” [8]

CONCLUSIVE REMARK

Thus, it is easier said than done for law enforcement to be in place with the digitalization of our society. Technology develops on a rapid speed way quicker than the adoption of legislation. It would be difficult for the legislative change to catch up with the technology change and align the regulations with it. Moreover, the regulations circulating around data protection is not harmonized across the world, which has led to severe complications when issues pertaining to cross-border data are involved

If law reforms are to reflect new technology as an attempt to regulate the way data are analyzed and processed., it would only form a vicious cycle as upon consultation and negotiation process of the law, the technology would have changed Hence, this would only induce a greater risk of legal uncertainty in enforcing the law with regards to better data protection laws and compliance with proper ethical notions that emphasizes on the fundamental rights as to data protection and privacy.

All in all, it would be challenging to do so as to bridging the differences between law enforcement and technology advancement to ensure data protection and uphold of ethical standards

[8] G Buttarelli, ‘A smart approach: counteract the bias in artificial intelligence’ (2016) <https://edps europa eu/press-publications/pressnews/blog/smart-approachcounteract-bias-artificial intelligence en> accessed 30 August 2020

LIFESTYLE

Fashion & Technology

Western brands are beginning to look to other cultures for design inspiration, which we believe could lead to different cultures being accepted more broadly and provide influence across the industry in the long term And secondly, positive social impact on manufacturing. Customers will want to know who produced each item and what impact it had in their community.

The biggest challenge right now is accountability With globalization and many brands chasing the lowest price around the world, the industry has extended its impact without extending its responsibility. The industry needs to incorporate marginalized and non-mainstream styles and designs into the center, not the periphery, of fashion Instead of replicating designs from developing nations, the industry needs to aid them through investments that will allow them to sell their original designs and get the necessary exposure

Consumers are increasingly showing interest in seeing ethical practices in the apparel industry However, they are still buying based on low prices The industry needs to provide a solution so that consumers can turn those values into purchasing decisions. Secondly, transparency to customers, and quality over quantity. And plus-size fashion Yes, there is more plus-size representation now, but it is not enough!

Underground and independent designers have always been there to shake the system or add inspiration The internet, smartphones, and social media have opened a window for even the smallest design studio to show their work to the world. I think we will see a lot of new creative business models emerging this way, and remaining sustainable as well Although we aren’t able to reach the masses, we will set the trends that will be replicated by influencers at the top It will lead to bottom-up change in mainstream fashion.

T H E F U T U R E ?

I’d have to say the smartphone There’s so much power in the palm of your hand, and so much innovation that can happen fashion-wise just by tapping your screen We’ve thought of ways to do digital color-matching and make shopping for intimates easy and enjoyable using a smartphone

Customers don’t only look to magazines for the “ new thing”; they now look to bloggers and Instagrammers, too The fashion industry is no longer season-specific, so traditional magazines and Fashion Weeks need to be able to adjust quickly. Mainstream media has already started giving independent creators and designers features and exposure. The next step will be to invest in and partner with them

I think wearable tech will play a bigger part in sports, both in athletes’ performance and in the experience of watching the game. I also think that virtual reality will make smart glasses more mainstream in the entertainment industry I’m hoping that we will just call wearable tech “clothing” it should be integrated into our lives.

Social media allows for direct engagement with customers and brands I believe the future is in having a dialogue about designs, process, and vision with customers, while still maintaining the mystery and surprise that fashion provides. There’s a really exciting movement right now around body positivity and loving yourself for who you are The more brands can celebrate people’s differences, the better Throw the norms out the window! WH AT O N E WO R D S U M S U P YO U