U.K. moves forward with GDPR reform bill
The U.K. government formally introduced a bill to reform the country’s data privacy laws in a manner projected to save British businesses “billions.”
U.K. push for GDPR reprimand transparency draws mixed reviews
The U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office began publishing the details of cases where organizations breached the General Data Protection Regulation but were not fined. Legal experts share their take on the initiative.
Privacy Shield replacement on track, though hurdles remain
The agreement on a new framework for transatlantic data flows between the United States and European Union could be finalized this year. Whether it can stand legal scrutiny is the real question.
Italian DPA fines Edison Energia $5.2M over GDPR lapses
The Italian data protection authority penalized electric utility company Edison Energia for multiple alleged violations of the General Data Protection Regulation regarding marketing communications and data processing transparency.
Ruling in Experian GDPR case thrusts ‘legitimate interest’ into spotlight
Experian won a legal battle against the U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office after the data regulator ordered the credit reference agency to make “fundamental changes” over the way it handled personal data for direct marketing purposes or stop altogether.
GDPR push for privacy by design still ‘a long way off’
Italy’s data protection authority banned U.S.-based AI chatbot creator Replika from processing the personal data of Italian users because of risks the service posed to minors and vulnerable people—the latest example of a tech company’s product running afoul of the GDPR.
Experts: New AI laws pose risk of overlap with data protection mandates
Companies are at serious risk of facing multiple fines for the same offense under different sets of legislation if the artificial intelligence technologies they employ misuse personal data or cause harm to consumers, according to legal experts.
WhatsApp fined $5.9M for lawful processing GDPR violations
The Irish Data Protection Commission announced a fine of €5.5 million (U.S. $5.9 million) against WhatsApp under the General Data Protection Regulation for forcing users to consent to updated terms and conditions or lose access to the service.
Meta fined $414M for targeted advertising GDPR breaches
The Irish Data Protection Commission fined Meta Ireland a total of €390 million (U.S. $414 million) for breaching the General Data Protection Regulation by forcing users to agree their personal data can be used for targeted advertising to access Facebook and Instagram.
Ten things I’d like to see happen in 2023 (2022 in review)
Expect big developments for the compliance profession in 2022 to continue to take center stage in the year ahead, including CCO certifications, climate-related disclosures, and more.
Irish DPC probing Twitter over breach affecting 5.4M users
The Irish Data Protection Commission is investigating whether Twitter violated the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation regarding a data breach alleged to have affected 5.4 million users.
Portugal statistics office fined record $4.6M for GDPR violations
The government office for national statistics in Portugal was assessed a fine of €4.3 million (U.S. $4.6 million) by the country’s data protection authority for multiple violations of the General Data Protection Regulation that occurred during its 2021 census work.
Clubhouse app operator fined $2M for GDPR violations
Alpha Exploration, operator of the social media app Clubhouse, received a penalty from the Italian data protection authority for the unlawful processing of EU citizens’ data in violation of the General Data Protection Regulation.
Meta fined $274M under GDPR for data scraping breach
Meta Platforms Ireland was fined €265 million (U.S. $274 million) for failing to put in place adequate measures to protect users’ data after a leak compromised the personal details of more than half a billion individuals.
Privacy advocate sues Meta over targeted ad GDPR violation claims
A privacy and human rights advocate sued Meta Platforms in the United Kingdom, claiming the social media giant is refusing her request to stop being targeted with advertising based on her use of Facebook.
Discord fined $830K for GDPR lapses
Discord, a popular communication service primarily utilized by the video game community, was assessed a fine of €800,000 (U.S. $829,000) by the French data protection authority for multiple violations of the General Data Protection Regulation related to safeguarding user data.
ICO warns of ‘complacency’ in fining Interserve $5M under GDPR
The U.K. Information Commissioner warned companies not to ignore “crucial measures” to prevent cyber incidents following his office’s decision to fine construction firm Interserve £4.4 million (U.S. $5 million) for failing to secure employee personal information.
French DPA latest to fine Clearview AI over GDPR violations
France’s CNIL became the fourth European data protection authority this year to fine Clearview AI over its controversial facial image aggregation practices, matching a pair of its counterparts with a €20 million (U.S. $19.6 million) penalty.
e-Book: How the EU might move forward with GDPR
Data privacy experts believe the mechanisms in place under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to ensure compliance, enforcement, and redress need revisiting—and quickly.
ICO guidance stresses importance of reasoning in employee monitoring
The U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office issued draft guidance to help ensure employers’ monitoring of staff performance does not turn into surveillance or harassment.
U.S. includes surveillance concessions in new transatlantic data flow framework
President Joe Biden’s executive order on a data privacy framework aims to provide a workable, legally resilient solution for companies to continue moving and storing the personal data of EU-based citizens to American-based servers without running afoul of the GDPR.
Easylife fined $1.5M under GDPR for profiling customers
The Information Commissioner’s Office fined catalog retailer Easylife £1.35 million (U.S. $1.5 million) for marketing health-related products to individuals without their consent in violation of the U.K. General Data Protection Regulation.
TikTok 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.
Ireland interpretations of GDPR criticized again in Instagram case
In fining Instagram a record €405 million (U.S. $405 million) for General Data Protection Regulation violations regarding the safeguarding of teenage users’ data, the Irish Data Protection Commission took some heat of its own.
Experts: Europe’s AI Act to push companies to confront technology’s use
The Artificial Intelligence Act, along with upcoming EU rules addressing digital markets and services, should have companies considering their use of AI and other emerging technologies to determine how the laws might impact their business.
Instagram 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.
Accor fined $600K under GDPR after EDPB intervention
French hotel chain Accor had its initial fine for cross-border data privacy violations increased sixfold after one data regulator involved in the decision-making process complained an original penalty of €100,000 (U.S. $99,900) was too low.
One year later, Amazon GDPR fine details remain clouded
It’s been one year since online retailer Amazon announced it was on the receiving end of a record €746 million (U.S. $758 million) fine under the General Data Protection Regulation, but details about the decision—as well as the actual complaint—remain sketchy.
Volkswagen fined $1.1M under GDPR for unauthorized data collection
Volkswagen has agreed to pay €1.1 million (U.S. $1.1 million) to resolve allegations of violating the General Data Protection Regulation when a camera on one of its test vehicles recorded nearby drivers without their knowledge.
EDPB adopts criteria for GDPR cross-border cooperation cases
The European Data Protection Board adopted a set of criteria to assess whether a cross-border matter might qualify as a case of “strategic importance” for closer cooperation—and how to proceed if it does.
Clearview AI fined third time for GDPR violations
The Hellenic Data Protection Authority in Greece fined controversial facial image aggregator Clearview AI a record €20 million (U.S. $19.9 million) for unlawfully processing the biometric data of Greek citizens.
EDPS: U.K. GDPR reforms could create friction with EU
The United Kingdom’s keenness to agree to its own data adequacy decisions with countries like the United States could become a contentious issue with the European Union, according to European Data Protection Supervisor Wojciech Wiewiórowski.
Facebook fate in EU thrusts transatlantic data flows back in spotlight
Reports of a potential shutdown of Meta services Facebook and Instagram in the European Union that could take place as soon as this summer underscore what’s at stake as the region works with the United States to finalize a new agreement on how to handle transatlantic data flows.
U.K. data reform plan seeks to reduce ‘unnecessary burdens’ of GDPR
The U.K. government announced plans to reform the country’s data privacy laws to simplify procedures for businesses and reduce red tape, but the proposals might clash with certain elements of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation.
Experts: How to move forward with the GDPR
Data privacy experts speaking at an industry event believe the mechanisms in place under the General Data Protection Regulation to ensure compliance, enforcement, and redress need revisiting—and quickly.
European Commission assessing GDPR improvements, not overhaul
Three key members of the European Commission believe the General Data Protection Regulation should be enhanced by targeting aspects of data privacy through other laws rather than revamping the GDPR itself.
GDPR blame game: Who’s at fault for spotty enforcement record?
Regulators and privacy experts speaking at the European Data Protection Supervisor’s conference homed in on the flaws of the General Data Protection Regulation and what improvements need to be made to ensure more consistent enforcement of the law.
Google fine in Spain prompts revisit of GDPR effect on tech
Google’s latest fine for violations of the General Data Protection Regulation reignites the discussion around why Big Tech firms have not been more frequently penalized under the EU’s stringent privacy law.
GDPR enforcement roundup: Spain stays on Vodafone, record fine in Poland
Vodafone running up its fine total in Spain and a record-setting action against a marketing firm in Poland highlight a roundup of notable enforcements announced under the General Data Protection Regulation during the first five months of 2022.
Four years of GDPR: New tech testing data privacy law’s longevity?
It has been four years since the European Union’s flagship data privacy legislation came into force, but concerns are already being raised about whether the General Data Protection Regulation is being outpaced by technological developments and their use of data.
ICO fines Clearview AI $9.4M over alleged data privacy lapses
The U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office fined Clearview AI more than £7.5 million (U.S. $9.4 million) for collecting people’s images from internet and social media sites without their knowledge or consent.
Spanish DPA fines Google $10.6M for GDPR violations
Spain’s data protection authority has issued a record fine of €10 million (U.S. $10.6 million) against Google for two “serious infractions” of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation regarding its sharing information with U.S. legal database Lumen.
Bank of Ireland fined $504K for credit rating data breaches
Bank of Ireland was fined €463,000 (U.S. $504,000) after an investigation by the Irish Data Protection Commission found customer data was accidentally altered in a way that could have damaged credit ratings and prevented getting loans.
Danske Bank fined $1.5M for data processing failures under GDPR
The Danish Data Protection Agency has reported Danske Bank to the police and fined it 10 million Danish kroner (U.S. $1.47 million) over its failure to erase customers’ personal data in its systems in violation of the General Data Protection Regulation.