The European Commission determined technology companies Apple and Google violated the Digital Markets Act by using elements of their market dominance to block out competitors, The New York Times reports.
The White House fired Democratic FTC Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, according to multiple media reports and public statements 18 March, leaving two Republicans and no minority party representation on the agency's five-commissioner bipartisan bench. IAPP Staff Writer Joe Duball reports on the expulsions and the subsequent ripples the actions may have on the U.S. consumer protection landscape.Full story
The Network Advertising Initiative recently released its new Self-Regulatory Framework. The framework is principles-based and intended to allow NAI members to adopt more flexible approaches to comply with U.S. state and federal privacy requirements. IAPP Staff Writer Alex LaCasse spoke with NAI President and CEO Leigh Freund about the association's new initiative.Full story
The U.K. Department of Science, Innovation and Technology opened a public call for evidence 17 March seeking information on how data brokers' business activities may pose a potential risk to national security. Stakeholders are invited to answer a 41-question survey prior to 13 May featuring four subject areas: definition and services of data brokers, national security, security and regulatory frameworks, and consumer awareness and transparency.
The European Data Protection Board approved a document outlining the procedure to be followed for data controllers and processors with the use of binding corporate rules for data transfers. Under the new procedure, BCRs must be approved by the relevant national data protection authority under the EU General Data Protection Regulation's consistency mechanism contained in Article 63.
U.S. Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks announced he will step down from his position at the agency more than two years before his term was set to end, MediaPost reports. Starks, who was nominated to the agency by President Donald Trump in 2018, previously opposed the executive efforts in 2020 to regulate social media platforms over censorship practices.Full story
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner called on government entities to tighten agency-level information governance rules around messaging apps use after finding only half the agencies had rules around them in a work context.
The Netherlands Parliament approved motions calling on the government to create a cloud services platform and other actions meant to establish independence from U.S. software companies, Reuters reports. The moves were framed as a way to create more control over the Netherlands' data and free the country from outside political influence.Full story
Poland's data protection authority, the Urząd Ochrony Danych Osobowych, fined state postal administration Poczta Polska PLN27 million and the Minister of Digital Affairs PLN100,000 for allegedly processing millions of citizens' data without a legal basis. The Poczta Polska had been granted permission to access a database of voters in 2020 to help facilitate mail-in voting for the presidential election.Full story
Moldova's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Public Services Agency will distribute 40 biometric data capture devices to accelerate digital identification efforts and streamline the application process, IPN reports. The implementation of the devices aims to "significantly reduce the processing time of documents and facilitate access to essential public services."Full story