U.K. Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Peter Kyle released his strategic priorities for the Office of Communications as it prepares to enforce the Online Safety Act next year. The government also announced a plan to study what harms are associated with online platform use, with a specific focus on children and smartphone use.Full story
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner released guidance on how facial recognition technology can be used in a retail or commercial setting. The guidance comes as Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind's office alleged retailer Bunnings violated customers' privacy by using the facial recognition.
U.K. Information Commissioner John Edwards said issuing large fines for technology companies can be counterproductive to the agency's enforcement efforts, The Times reports. Edwards said it's "easy to compile league tables but I actually don't believe that that approach is necessarily the one that has the greatest impact."Full story
A coalition of state attorneys general signed a letter urging U.S. congressional leaders to support the Kids Online Safety Act, saying it is an improvement over prior versions and would support their own efforts to protect minors.
Hearings for the next European Data Protection Supervisor are likely to be pushed to 2025, according to Euronews. The European Commission did not approve its list of EDPS candidates, which includes current EDPS Wojciech Wiewiórowski, until mid-November. Members of European Parliament's Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee are expected to vote 21 Nov.
Reuters reports the Competition Commission of India fined Meta USD25.4 million and directed WhatsApp to not share data for advertising purposes with other Meta applications for five years. The commission argued Meta violated the country's antitrust provisions with 2021 updates to WhatsApp's privacy notice around how user data is shared across other Meta platforms.
France's data protection authority, the Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés, warns transport companies looking to install cameras in employee-driven vehicles need a legitimate interest to do so. The CNIL said images and technical data used to generate alerts to drivers can be processed by companies but should not be kept.Full story
Privacy Commissioner of Canada Philippe Dufresne discussed the cybersecurity safeguards within Bill C-26 with the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defense and Veterans Affairs. Dufresne said, if the bill passes, it would improve privacy protections for individuals while aiming to bolster organizations' cybersecurity standards to reduce data breaches.Full story
Dominican Republic's National Institute for the Protection of Consumer Rights ordered Worldcoin to cease operations in the country over alleged privacy violations and biometric data concerns, Dominican Today reports.
Brazil's data protection authority, the Autoridade Nacional de Proteção de Dados, was authorized to contract 213 technology professionals over the next four years to ensure the agency's needs and responsibilities are met. The ANPD said it is seeking qualified professionals to fulfill agency mandates under the General Data Protection Law.Full story