The U.K. Information Commissioner's Office announced fines totaling 170,000 GBP to three companies for alleged illegal direct marketing. Argentum Data Solutions took the largest fine at 65,000 GBP for allegedly facilitating 2.3 million marketing text messages without consent, while not allowing the receiver the option to opt out.Full story
Cryptocurrency exchange Worldcoin aims to establish an ID network comparable to India's Aadhaar biometric ID system, Reuters reports. The Aadhaar system records, compiles and stores individuals' fingerprints along with face and iris scans. More than 2.4 million people have signed up for Worldcoin's iris scan in exchange for cryptocurrency.Full story
The European Data Protection Board issued an urgent binding decision to ban Meta's data processing for behavioral advertising. The decision stems from an interim ban on data processing for targeted ads issued in July by Norway's data protection authority, Datatilsynet. The interim ban was set to expire 3 Nov., but Meta now faces a firm clampdown in a matter of weeks.
The White House Office of Management of Budget issued a draft memorandum to executive agency heads for the use of artificial intelligence within their departments. Per U.S. President Joe Biden's 30 Oct. executive order, each agency must designate a Chief AI Officer within 60 days.
The EU plus 28 countries, including China, the U.K. and the U.S., agreed to the Bletchley Declaration on Artificial Intelligence Safety as part of the U.K.'s AI Safety Summit.
Quebec's data protection authority, the Commission d'accès a l'information du Québec, adopted the final version of its guidelines for organizations to obtain valid consent to process personal data under Law 25. The guidelines are the first set of instructions clarifying certain Law 25 requirements issued by the CAI, with additional guidelines addressing other provisions of the law to come. Full story
IAB Europe released a paper outlining its recommendations for EU General Data Protection Regulation enforcement in cross-border cases. The guidance calls for early resolutions, including settlements to solve cases, and increased transparency in supervisory authorities' decisions.
Advertising coalition Privacy for America voiced opposition to the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's proposed Personal Financial Data Rights, MediaPost reports. The proposal would restrict data brokers' ability to sell certain types of financial information about consumers, including payment history, income or criminal history, for ad targeting purposes.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights announced a USD100,000 settlement has been reached with medical management company Doctors' Management Services for allegedly failing to prevent a ransomware attack affecting more than 200,000 people.
Israel is allegedly using cyberhackers and spyware companies to break into and monitor abductees' electronics in its war against Hamas, Forbes reports. The Israel Defense Forces has reportedly been given full authorization to use controversial products like Pegasus spyware, which has been allegedly used to monitor journalists.Full story