Seven years in, GDPR faces growing challenges from AI and ‘consent or pay’ models
Europe’s pioneering data protection legislation turned seven years old in May, but the compliance and enforcement difficulties that have dogged the rules since they came into force look set to present both companies and data regulators with fresh headaches for some time to come.
Communication and relationships is increasingly critical for compliance teams
Compliance is increasingly in the spotlight as companies are tackling everything from artificial intelligence and other new technologies to risk management and mitigation. But it’s soft skills of communication and relationship building that are becoming the most critical tools for success.
Apple, Google face compliance crossroads as states push digital safeguards
A new law in Texas will go into effect next January that requires Apple and Google to verify the age of their app store users. This marks another piece of legislation from the state level intended to protect children, and the second such law specifically from Texas to limit children’s ...
Inside the Mind of the CCO: Compliance in an uncertain world, still with fuzzy reporting lines
The world is rapidly changing. The European Union is stepping up rules and enforcement, while the United Kingdom is charting its own course. And now the United States is taking a third tack, with unclear regulation enforcement under a mercurial Donald Trump’s second term as president underway.
FTC orders GoDaddy to upgrade cybersecurity defenses following three breaches
The Federal Trade Commission has ordered web hosting company GoDaddy to implement a “robust” information security program following at least three data breaches that the agency said were aided by lax cybersecurity measures.
EU hits Apple, Meta with antitrust fines weeks after Trump tariffs announced
The European Union issued significant antitrust fines against two tech titans, hitting Apple with 500 million euros (U.S. $570 million) and Facebook owner Meta with 200 million euros (U.S. $228 million). The move sought to undermine key parts of both companies’ businesses less than a month after U.S. President Donald ...
UK’s deregulation drive raises compliance risk, say top lawyers
The United Kingdom’s latest effort to encourage regulators to pare down rules to attract companies and investment as a way to stimulate the economy has received mixed reviews from lawyers.
EU looking to scale back GDPR in coming weeks
The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation has been in effect since 2018, requiring companies to securely handle users’ personal data. The European Commission will reportedly review the regulations and claw back some of the rules, which could make doing business in Europe a little easier for these companies.
'Measured approach' or light-handed GPDR? Noyb reports only 1.3 percent of EU cases result in fine
When Europe’s strict set of data protection rules came into force nearly seven years ago, privacy campaigners, industry experts, and lawyers all warned that noncompliance could result in eye-watering fines and other costly sanctions, especially for repeated breaches. However, the reality appears to be very different.
Photo gallery: Cyber Risk & Data Privacy Summit
Compliance Week’s Cyber Risk & Data Privacy Summit, held Feb. 10-11 in Alexandria, Va., gathered legal, compliance, and risk professionals in person for the first time since before the pandemic to benchmark best practices on managing cyber risks.
Financial crime in the shadows of the dark web
The dark web has been depicted as a long-standing hub for crimes, where illegal activities such as drug dealing, financial fraud, weapon sales, murder for hire, stolen credit cards, and ransomware gags are easily accessible to the public.
Experts: U.K. digital market reforms a ‘watershed moment,’ could speed up enforcement
The U.K.’s competition regulator has outlined new plans to regulate Big Tech firms that will enable it to take a much more flexible and proactive approach towards investigations.
FBI, Europol shut down hacking sites selling personal info, tools for cybercriminals
Two massive hacking websites–where criminals sold everything from stolen social security numbers to tools for cybercriminals to gain access to computers–have finally been shut down by an international law enforcement team, the Department of Justice announced.
EDPB shift forces AI firms to embed procurement, risk management in GDPR considerations
Efforts to clarify the circumstances in which artificial intelligence models may or may not be violating the General Data Protection Regulation could result in yet more confusion for tech firms, companies deploying the technology, and even data protection authorities, according to experts.
Five reasons why I’m excited about CW’s Cyber Risk & Data Privacy Summit
Having worked for Compliance Week for three years, I’ve found it remarkable how compliance professionals can be so consistently upbeat about their plight. An often refrain in compliance circles is “be comfortable with being uncomfortable.” As difficult as the job can be, that clearly doesn’t mean it can’t be fun.
Experts say DORA compliance not coming easy as more firms pass buck to IT providers
New rules have come into effect across the European Union to promote better cybersecurity and IT resilience across the financial services sector, but experts warn that compliance is likely to be patchy and regulatory enforcement across the bloc perhaps even patchier.
Trump gives TikTok 75-day reprieve after ban goes into effect
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday delaying the Department of Justice (DOJ) from enforcing the long-awaited TikTok ban. While the social media platform’s fate is still up in the air, Trump signaled his support for it being sold, with the U.S. as a “partner.”
GM sued by FTC for selling location and behavioral data without drivers' consent
General Motors failed to disclose to customers that it tracked their precise locations and driving behavior and sold the data to third parties, the Federal Trade Commission alleged in a proposed order.
FTC orders Mobilewalla, Gravy Analytics to stop collecting geolocation data without permission
Two large data brokers, Mobilewalla and Gravy Analytics, collected billions of records containing sensitive geolocation and personal data of millions of people, and then sold it without their consent, the Federal Trade Commission said.
CJEU ruling adds to GDPR liability over unfair competition, AML/CFT
Legal cases and fines for noncompliance with EU’s GDPR could rise sharply after a court found that a breach was a source of unfair competition. The judgment also opens doors to civil cases over companies that ignoring expensive or challenging rules, such as those regarding AML/CFT.
New CFPB payment privacy rule on the way for gaming companies, cryptocurrencies, Big Tech
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has issued a proposed rule aimed at protecting the privacy of the public when using novel digital payment systems, such as those offered by large technology platforms and video gaming companies.
Experts unsure of risk appetite as EU beefs up cyber rules for critical infrastructure
New rules on cyber risk management across the EU put execs firmly in the crosshairs for noncompliance and are likely to apply to a wider range of organizations than many business leaders may initially think. However, there are also concerns that the rules may become muddled across the wide bloc.
TPRM critical as DORA, new FCA third-party engagement rules come into effect in 2025
New rules that push IT firms providing “critical” services to the U.K.’s financial sector to share more data about cyberattacks and resiliency measures have been welcomed by industry experts. However, concerns remain over how suppliers will be classified and how key data might be gathered and shared.
Google’s fate under Trump could be a sign of antitrust battles to come in 2025
As Donald Trump begins his transition to become president, there are questions about the fate of tech companies, as well as regulators from multiple administrations. Google in particular is fighting a high-profile antitrust ruling after an investigation started by Trump in 2020 could be resolved in his next administration.
Data analytics in compliance: Time to get started, or expand, in 2025
Launching or expanding a corporate data analytics program for compliance can seem like a daunting task, but it is one worth adding to your to-do list in 2025.
Russian-Israeli LockBit developer to be extradited to U.S. for extorting $500M
An alleged software mastermind of the notorious LockBit ransomware group will soon be extradited to the United States to stand trial on charges that his criminal enterprise extorted at least half a billion dollars from victims worldwide, including U.S. businesses and hospitals, the Department of Justice said.
Top 5 risks for 2025: U.S. uncertainty, global trade war, digital attacks
A prominent risk management firm has issued its predictions for the top five risks for business in 2025, along with guidance for how organizations should prepare and respond.
EU AI Act next GDPR? Proof in the pudding as boardrooms prioritize data governance
Breaches of the EU’s GDPR can cost companies substantial sums and huge reputational damage. Now some are warning that the implementation of the EU’s AI Act will be just as far-reaching, and could potentially lead to similar numbers of cases.
Good AI governance starts with proactive, continuous risk assessments
Data governance has become a key concern for companies, especially when the EU AI Act and General Data Protection Regulation have put a premium on handling data responsibly and ensuring that artificial intelligence does not cause harm.
Meta discloses potential CFPB lawsuit following probe into advertising, disclosure practices
Meta disclosed in a public filing that an investigation by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau related to financial product advertising on platforms Instagram and WhatsApp may lead to a lawsuit.
Irish DPC fines LinkedIn $335M over GDPR violations related to targeted advertising
The Irish Data Protection Commission fined Microsoft-owned LinkedIn 310 million euros (U.S. $335 million) over violations of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation related to the social media company’s data processing and targeted advertising.
FCC teams up with CPPA to enforce privacy rules
In an effort to streamline the enforcement of California’s stringent privacy rules, the Federal Communications Commission has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the California Privacy Protection Agency.
DOJ proposes rule that would block sale of Americans’ personal data to Chinese, Russian firms
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has proposed a new rule that would regulate the use of Americans’ personal information by foreign companies and foreign persons in six “countries of concern,” prohibiting and restricting the sale of data to thwart the use of data for cyber-enabled activities, espionage, coercion, influence and ...
Keys to a successful GenAI use policy: Clear roles, training, vendor management
For all the hype surrounding generative artificial intelligence, the technology has been met with a healthy skepticism in the compliance community. Compliance practitioners want to know: Is it safe? Can it be deployed ethically? Are the risks greater than the rewards? And what should an AI acceptable use policy contain?
Pace of innovation will make EU AI Act hard to enforce, experts say
Concerns about how robustly European member states may enforce the EU AI Act, which took effect on Aug. 1, are divided between if regulators will take a “light touch” approach or a sledgehammer for noncompliance. One thing’s for sure, the pace of AI innovation will make enforcement very difficult.
Photo gallery: Compliance Week Europe 2024
Compliance Week Europe, held Oct. 15-16 in Amsterdam in partnership with our sister organization the Internation Compliance Association, gathered more than 200 GRC professionals across industries. Check out some of the sights from the event.
Control and delete: How regulators can shutdown companies’ AI investments
Companies are increasingly putting their faith in AI to realize the kind of business benefits that the technology seems to promise, but they are also opening themselves up to new and potentially crippling sanctions if they are unable to answer questions that surround how AI operates.
Companies are slowing AI launches in Europe, some say European Union regulations are why
The European Union’s Digital Markets Act is forcing many Big Tech companies to postpone the launch of artificial intelligence-powered features, like Apple Intelligence, over user privacy and data security concerns.
T-Mobile reaches $31.5M settlement with FCC over multiple data breaches
T-Mobile, which experienced three huge data breaches in the past three years, agreed to pay $31.5 million in penalties and remediation for failing to protect millions of its customers’ personal information as part of a settlement with the Federal Communications Commission.
Irish DPC fines Meta $102M over GDPR violation linked to improper storage of passwords
The Irish Data Protection Commission fined Meta Ireland 91 million euros (U.S. $102 million) for multiple violations of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation related to the inadvertent storage of user passwords without encryption.
AI misuse could lead to sanctions from multiple regulators, experts warn
The proliferation of AI, as well as the promised business cases promoting its use, has led companies around the world to quickly invest in the technology. Executives hope these AI tools will improve efficiencies, reduce costs, and help them stay competitive. But it could lead to just the opposite.
FTC sounds alarm on business practices turning into ‘vast surveillance’
The Federal Trade Commission took aim at the business models of some of the world’s largest companies, publishing a years-long study that decried technologies that have created “vast surveillance” networks that expose people to “a host of harms” and violate children’s privacy laws.
Clearview AI’s GDPR fines rise to $110M total after latest penalty by Dutch DPA
Clearview AI was fined 30.5 million euro (U.S. $33.8 million) by the Dutch Data Protection Authority and ordered to stop collecting images of Dutch citizens in the latest enforcement action against the U.S. company.
CPE Webcast: Mastering mobility risks for accelerated growth
Discover how cutting-edge mobile technologies are transforming the business landscape. A strong mobility strategy, paired with a top-tier compliance platform, is essential for scaling in today’s fast-paced environment.
Dutch DPA fines Uber $324M over transferring driver data to U.S.
The Dutch Data Protection Authority fined Uber 290 million euros (U.S. $323.7 million) for illegally transferring data on European drivers to American servers and failing to appropriately safeguard the transfers.
How are you keeping up? The adoption of AI in compliance
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the business landscape, and this is especially true for anyone working in compliance. But while AI offers immense potential to streamline processes, enhance decision-making, and mitigate risks, it also introduces a new set of challenges that compliance professionals must navigate.
FTC tries to close COPPA loophole with amicus brief against IXL Learning
The Federal Trade Commission is fighting against an online educational platform’s interpretation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, arguing that COPPA can’t force parents into arbitration.
Spanish DPA dings retailer Uniqlo $294K over GDPR violations
Spain’s data protection authority fined retailer Uniqlo Europe 270,000 euros (U.S. $294,000) over admitted violations of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation.
ICO proposes $7.8M fine against NHS contractor in warning to IT providers
The U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office proposed a 6.1 million pound (U.S. $7.8 million) fine against Advanced Computer Software Group, an IT contractor for the National Health Service that allegedly failed to secure the data of 83,000 people after a cyberattack.
DOJ lawsuit alleges TikTok ignored order to enhance COPPA compliance
TikTok is in hot water with the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission over widespread failures to comply with a 2019 consent order to enhance compliance with children’s privacy laws.