Public Policy

Building a safer digital world

Gen approaches everything we do with the people in mind. As a leader in digital security and empowerment, we are champions of simplifying cybersecurity in the ever-evolving digital landscape. This goes beyond our mission to create solutions that enable people to navigate their digital lives safely, privately, and confidently. It’s about empowering both the generations of today and future generations to be able to take advantage of the ease technology offers, worry free.

Our focus

Ensure the success of digital identity

The average person manages over 150 online accounts, with personal data scattered across numerous databases globally. The escalating trend of data breaches amplifies the threat of identity fraud. We believe in a future where people have full control over their data, ensuring a safe, private, and secure data-sharing experience across digital platforms. Additionally, privacy should not be compromised for access to online services. Intuitive, cross-platform solutions, and tools that empower people to manage their data and identity should be readily accessible.

We also believe in open standard digital wallets. As a Founding Premier Member of the OpenWallet Foundation (OWF), we are a pioneer in the movement towards open-source, interoperable digital wallets. We partner with entities like the Linux Foundation, OWF to drive global adoption of secure digital wallet solutions, setting industry best practices that uphold choice, security, and privacy.

Reinforce consumers’ privacy and control

Our commitment to privacy is foundational. And our customer-first approach ensures personal data is processed with the utmost respect for privacy. Gen processes data in a manner aligned with expectations of our customers and strives for maximum transparency. We encourage consumers to safeguard their online presence and use effective privacy measures. While personalized online experiences offer significant value to consumers, it also presents major threats particularly in the context of generative AI. Because extensive data collection is needed for personalization, this can lead to privacy concerns. Another potential risk is biases in AI algorithms that can lead to unfair or discriminatory outcomes. Furthermore, there is a risk of echo chambers and misinformation, as AI-driven personalization can narrow the diversity of information people are exposed to, reinforcing pre-existing misbeliefs or spreading false content.

Strengthen consumer protection on all Operating Systems

Consumers should have the freedom to choose their cybersecurity provider, allowing them access to monitor their operating system. This choice empowers people to defend against scams and malware, shifting control from providers to the individual, ultimately creating a more secure digital environment. Some Operating System developers restrict cybersecurity solutions from accessing key system components. The loss of access to these control points not only creates competition issues but, more importantly, it exposes consumers to cybersecurity risks by limiting their use of the cybersecurity products they’ve chosen.

The debate around consumer digital security also extends to online platforms, including social networks, messaging applications and in the future metaverse. Given that most scams, particularly AI-based ones, are disseminated through these platforms, it is important for third-party cybersecurity providers to have access to the online platforms to increase consumer protection against cybersecurity threats.

Close the cybersecurity skills gap

Avast blocked 10 billion attacks in 2023, a 49% increase year-over-year. And of those threats, more than 75% of all threat detections on desktops were attributed to scams, phishing, and malvertising. This surge starkly demonstrates the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity skills and awareness. This dire situation underscores the necessity for comprehensive education and a push for cybersecurity competence regardless of factors like age, gender, ethnicity or geography.

In response to this critical need, Gen actively supports organizations like for Women4Cyber to help address gender disparity in the cybersecurity field. This initiative aligns with our broader social impact goals and ESG strategy, which focuses on Cyber Safety education and training, diversity and inclusion, environmental stewardship, and data privacy.

Spotlight on AI Safety

Recent considerable advances in generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini (previously Bard) has attracted global interest and provided a useful assistant for a range of everyday tasks. And as this technology gets more sophisticated, so do the threats that come along with them.

Cybercriminals are leveraging AI at an unacceptable level to disseminate fake news, deepfakes, and malicious content. This underscores the importance of safeguarding against potential misuse of AI-generated data to help protect consumers.

Key partners in policy

Information Technology Industry Council

The Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) is the premier global advocate for technology, representing the world’s most innovative companies. They promote public policies and industry standards that advance competition and innovation worldwide. Learn more here.

Global Anti-Scam Alliance

The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) is dedicated to protecting consumers worldwide from the rising threat of online scams. GASA brings together key stakeholders—governments, law enforcement, consumer organizations, financial institutions, tech platforms, and cybersecurity experts—to collaborate, share knowledge, and take joint action against scammers operating across borders. Learn more here.

Cyber Threat Alliance

The CTA is committed to raising the level of cybersecurity across our digital ecosystem. In line with that mission, CTA believes that identifying, reporting, and addressing hardware and software vulnerabilities is an essential component of any organization's cybersecurity program. Learn more here.

AI Elections Accord

This accord seeks to set expectations for how signatories will manage the risks arising from deceptive AI election content created through their publicly accessible, large-scale platforms or open foundational models, or distributed on their large-scale social or publishing platforms in line with their own policies and practices as relevant to the commitments in the accord. Learn more here.

Open Wallet Foundation

The OWF is a consortium of companies and non-profit organisations collaborating to drive global adoption of open, secure and interoperable digital wallet solutions as well as providing access to expertise and advice through our Government Advisory Council. Learn more here.

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