In this week's Privacy Tracker global legislative roundup, learn about how the Nigerian Communication Commission recently announced plans to introduce an Internet Industry Code of Practice. Australia and Singapore both passed measures to moderate online content, addressing the spread of “abhorrent violent material” and “fake news.” Poland’s data protection authority has issued its first fine under the EU General Data Protection Regulation, and U.S. Federal Trade Commission Chairman Joseph Simons requested additional resources to aid with policing tech companies and enforcement matters. 

LATEST NEWS

The European Parliament approved the Open Data and Public Sector Information Directive aiming to improve the availability and use of publicly funded data to aid in the development of data-intensive technologies. 
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An article for Mondaq examines data privacy laws across Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Argentina.
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Hunton Andrews and Kurth provides an overview of Nigeria's recently passed Nigeria Data Protection Regulation 2019. 
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CNBC Africa interviews Tope Aladenusi, head of Cyber Risk Services at Deloitte Nigeria, regarding the Nigerian Communications Commission announcing plans to introduce an Internet Industry Code of Practice. 
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The Consumer Privacy Protection Act was submitted to the Rhode Island General Assembly aiming to place requirements on the collection and retention of consumers’ personal information by a “business,” JDSupra reports. 
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ICYMI

In this post for Privacy Tracker, Rowan Legal Partner Michal Nulíček, CIPP/E, reports on important measures put forward by two bills adapting Czech law to the EU General Data Protection Regulation: the Data Protection Act and the Accompanying Act.
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Texas Health Services Authority CEO George Gooch, CIPP/US, reports on two Texas State consumer privacy bills,  House Bill 4390, filed by Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, and HB 4518, filed by Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer. 
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ASIA-PACIFIC

Australia recently passed legislation that imposes penalties of up to 10% of a company’s annual turnover and potential jail time for social media executives if they fail to remove “abhorrent violent material” from their platforms in an expeditious manner, Bloomberg reports.
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New legislation is taking shape in Singapore as it seeks to stop online outlets from spreading “fake news,” Bloomberg reports.
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CANADA

Conservative and New Democratic Party members of Parliament have asked the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada to review a private information leak about former Supreme Court of Canada candidate Glenn Joyal, CBC News reports.
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The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and the Chief Electoral Officer have released guidance to encourage political parties to protect citizens’ data ahead of the next federal election.
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EUROPE

European Data Protection Supervisor Giovanni Buttarelli released an opinion on an agreement between the EU and U.S. on cross-border access to electronic evidence in response to the European Commission’s adoption of a recommendation to start negotiations with the U.S. on electronic evidence access for criminal investigations. 
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France’s data protection authority, the CNIL, has modified the country’s Data Protection Act to cover employers’ use of biometric technology.
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As a Brexit agreement looms over the EU, Ireland offers advice for companies storing personal data in the U.K. or with a U.K.-based cloud service.
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Poland’s data protection authority has issued its first fine under the EU General Data Protection Regulation, TechCrunch reports.
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LATIN AMERICA

An article for Law.com looks at Brazil’s General Data Privacy Law, which takes effect in August 2020, and the implications for businesses.
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US

The U.S. Department of Commerce updated the frequently asked questions section of its EU-U.S. Privacy Shield agreement site to cover developments with Brexit. 
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In a letter to U.S. House of Representative leaders, U.S. Federal Trade Commission Chairman Joseph Simons requested additional resources to aid with policing tech companies and enforcement matters, The Hill reports.
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The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has found two shareholder proposals filed in January regarding Amazon's facial-recognition technology appropriate and should be included for a vote at the company's meeting in May, Fast Company reports.
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The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation approved the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act to combat robocalls and improve enforcement of the Communications Act, ABC news reports. 
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U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., announced plans to introduce legislation aimed at combating the “commercialization” of children’s online lives, The Hill reports.
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Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., has reintroduced the Information Transparency and Personal Data Control Act, giving the U.S. Federal Trade Commission targeted rulemaking authority, Multichannel News reports.
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In an effort to cut down on corporate malfeasance, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., introduced the Corporate Executive Accountability Act to hold executives accountable for presiding over data breaches, Ars Technica reports.
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A group of bipartisan lawmakers introduced the Ending Mass Collection of Americans’ Phone Records Act to end the National Security Agency’s collection of U.S. phone data that was authorized by the 2015 USA Freedom Act.
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Center for Democracy & Technology Privacy & Data Project Policy Counsel Joseph Jerome, CIPP/US, writes about de-identification considerations in regards to privacy laws.
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NBC News reports on how the Democratic presidential field has focused on breaking up monopolies and anti-competitive behavior among industry heavyweights, including big tech.
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Police in Fairfax, Virginia, will stop using a license plate database after a county judge ruled the "passive use" of the plate data violates Virginia privacy law, The Washington Post reports.
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