TechCrunch reports U.K. Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Michelle Donelan announced intent to alter the current approach to U.K. General Data Protection Regulation reform in a way that will "focus on growth and common sense" while being "business and consumer-friendly." Donelan said the new direction for reform, which was paused in September upon appointment of Prime Minister Liz Truss, is to move away from the "bureaucratic nature" of the EU GDPR and seek "simplification... Read More

The U.S. Department of Justice announced the Data Access Agreement concerning criminal data sharing between the U.K. and the U.S. entered into force Oct. 3. The two countries will share data under "qualifying, lawful orders for electronic data issued by the other country, without fear of running afoul of restrictions on cross-border disclosures." The DOJ added that the agreement brings "more timely and efficient access to electronic data required in fast-moving investigations through the use of ... Read More

The U.K. government Monday introduced a pair of post-Brexit data reform initiatives aimed at guiding responsible use of data while promoting innovation in the economy, according to two government releases.  In the House of Commons, the government released the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill. In a separate statement, Minister for Media, Data and Digital Infrastructure Matt Warman said the data protection reform bill will help "transform the UK's independent data laws."  In parallel... Read More

The U.K. Information Commissioner's Office unveiled its strategic plan 2022-2025, which Information Commissioner John Edwards said prioritizes issues that are "disproportionately affecting already vulnerable or disadvantaged groups." The plan focuses on children's privacy, discriminatory impacts of artificial intelligence, algorithmic bias and malicious telemarketing. The ICO's proposed strategy also includes increased guidance resources, featuring a database of the ICO's organizational and sect... Read More

South Korea and the U.K. reached an "adequacy agreement in principle" for cross-border data sharing. The bilateral partnership will focus on improving data frameworks. The adequacy agreement comes while both countries are in the process of modifying their data regulation regimes. In the U.K., ongoing initiatives include upgrading the U.K. National Data Strategy and the U.K. General Data Protection Regulation, and in South Korea, amendments have been proposed for its Personal Information Protecti... Read More

The U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office issued a six-step guide for small businesses that receive data protection complaints. The steps are to acknowledge receipt of the complaint, find out the specific issue related to the complaint, provide updates to the data subject, record actions taken in response to complaint, formally respond to the individual with the outcome of the investigation, and review lessons observed.  Full Story... Read More

The U.K. Information Commissioner's Office published updated guidance for using binding corporate rules as a data transfer mechanism. The updates are geared toward a "simplified" approach for controllers and processors with the ICO noting it will "only request supporting documents and commitments once during the U.K. approval process." The regulator also called BCRs a "gold standard" transfer mechanism that "demonstrates your commitment to implementing appropriate safeguards."Full Story... Read More

The U.K. Information Commissioner's Office submitted a report to U.K. Parliament discussing observations on data protection challenges and practices during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Former Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham focused the paper on how the flexibility of the data protection legislation could enable the data use while maintaining protections. The paper also looks at best practices for maintaining user trust as organizations deployed more digital and technological solu... Read More

The Luxembourg National Commission for Data Protection published guidance on how Brexit affects international data transfers. The guidance was created to help "companies, public bodies and associations" in Luxembourg transfer information to the U.K. following the European Commission's adequacy decision adoptions, recommending each entity respect the principles of the EU General Data Protection Regulation when sending data.Full Story ... Read More

After years of uncertainty in the wake of the U.K.'s vote in 2016 to leave the EU, there are finally sign posts for privacy pros to look to as both regions aim to secure cross-border data transfers through U.K. adequacy. In a massive trade agreement signed last Christmas Eve, both regions secured a temporary transfer period that provides the U.K. government and European Commission time to complete an adequacy agreement.  But, of course, the clock is ticking.  "We don't see why the U.K. shouldn... Read More