GDPR push for privacy by design still ‘a long way off’
By 
Neil Hodge2023-02-16T21:00:00
Italy’s data protection authority Garante earlier this month banned U.S.-based artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot creator Replika from processing the personal data of users in the country because of the risks the service posed to minors and vulnerable people.
Replika’s chatbot is marketed as an “AI companion who cares” because it offers users personalized avatars that talk and listen to them and help their emotional well-being. In a Feb. 3 notice, Garante criticized the app’s failure to protect children by allowing it to send inappropriate and sexually explicit responses to young users.
The case serves as an example of why tech companies must use “privacy by design” when launching new products and services.
Related articles
-
PremiumFive years in, GDPR still a lightning rod for criticism
The General Data Protection Regulation risks losing credibility if enforcement is not harmonized and privacy by design is not at the heart of tech innovation, said EU officials during a summit marking the fifth anniversary of the legislation.
-
ArticleTikTok facing $29M fine over U.K. children’s privacy violations
The Information Commissioner’s Office warned social media platform TikTok it could be fined £27 million (U.S. $29 million) for failing to protect children’s data in line with the U.K.’s version of the General Data Protection Regulation.
-
ArticleInstagram facing record $401M fine over children’s privacy violations
Instagram is set to be fined €405 million (U.S. $401 million) by Ireland’s data protection regulator for failing to adequately secure teenage users’ data in line with the General Data Protection Regulation.
More from Regulatory Enforcement
-
News BriefDOJ and CFTC close investigations into crypto betting platform Polymarket, report says
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) reportedly ended two investigations into Polymarket, a popular online crypto betting service that calls itself a “prediction market.” The move continues the Trump administration’s pro-crypt agenda.
-
News BriefFTC fines telehealth firm over deceptive weight-loss claims and fake reviews
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said it has settled with telemedicine service Southern Health Solutions, Inc. over allegations the company used deceptive pricing and weight-loss claims, along with fake reviews and testimonials, to sell its weight-loss programs.
-
ArticleU.K. extends bullying and harassment rules to 37,000 financial services firms
Serious bullying and harassment count as misconduct in regulated financial services firms, per a July 1 clarification by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority, which said non-financial misconduct rules now applied only to banks will extend to 37,000 more firms starting September 1, 2026.