Tag: Government

(Dec 12, 2019) The Sydney Morning Herald reports the Australian government plans to review the Privacy Act for reform, but updates aren't likely to occur until sometime next year. The review comes after the government previously announced its intentions to amend the country's privacy legislation last March. To shape potential reform, the government is planning consultations on the definition of personal information, increasing online platforms' obligations to notify users about data collection, requiring platf... Read More

(Dec 12, 2019) Surveillance practices used to track Maryland drivers and traffic are drawing the attention of privacy advocates, The Washington Post reports. The state uses three forms of traffic data collection, each of which collects different forms of driving data, including some personally identifiable information, with varying data retention limits. "I don’t think it’s really an issue of whether you have privacy in a particular moment in time," Electronic Frontier Foundation Senior Investigative Researche... Read More

(Dec 11, 2019) The Washington Post reports U.S. Attorney General William Barr has indicated the Department of Justice is exploring new options to effectively probe and regulate big tech companies. "We are thinking critically about how DOJ and our state partners can address other topics related to online platforms such as privacy, transparency, consumer fraud, child exploitation or public safety," Barr said, noting a bipartisan outlook on the need to address big tech's missteps. DOJ has begun executing Barr's s... Read More

(Dec 10, 2019) The French data protection authority, the CNIL, has published a report that explores emerging issues of data protection and freedoms in democracy, technology and citizen participation. The report discusses the emergence of civic technologies and data protection issues associated. The CNIL also uses the report to propose its recommendations for creating "an environment of trust" with civic tech "that allows everyone to exercise their citizenship while respecting their rights and freedoms." Those ... Read More

(Dec 6, 2019) ABC News reports U.S. Customs and Border Protection has opted against moving forward with proposed mandatory facial-recognition scans for U.S. citizens leaving and entering the country. "There are no current plans to require U.S. citizens to provide photographs upon entry and exit from the United States," a CBP spokesman said in a statement. The reversal comes following pushback from privacy advocates and federal lawmakers. "This is a victory for every single American traveler who flies on a pla... Read More

(Dec 5, 2019) Radio New Zealand reports a website hosted by the New Zealand Police for firearm buybacks has been shut down after a potential breach of 70,000 participants was discovered. Firearm owners' buyback information, including bank account numbers, were potentially available to the public through the program's online notification platform. Police Minister Stuart Nash is assuring gun owners their private information was not exposed. "First and foremost, it is illegal to distribute that information, and ... Read More

(Nov 27, 2019) This week, the Permanent Representatives Committee of the Council of the European Union once again rejected the latest draft of the ePrivacy Regulation. The Nov. 22 vote means the member states still cannot agree on a common position. Despite the best efforts of the current Finnish Presidency, it's back to the drawing board again in the new year under the Croation Presidency, as the window of opportunity for agreeing on a general approach at the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council m... Read More

(Nov 25, 2019) The Daily Sabah reports a new decree published in Turkey’s Official Gazette will allow the country's data protection authority, the KVKK, to bring criminal complaints against hackers. Complaints can be lodged for personal data breaches in various industries, including legal, finance, real estate and insurance. The decree also permits action against those that do not carry out their data protection duties and requirements.Full Story... Read More

(Nov 22, 2019) Politico Pro reports the European Council has selected acting European Data Protection Supervisor Wojciech Wiewiórowski as its candidate to take over the position permanently. Wiewiórowski has served as the interim EDPS since August and is one of three candidates under consideration for the role. European Parliament has yet to identify its preferred candidate. The three candidates are set to be questioned by the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Monday. (... Read More

(Nov 21, 2019) HealthITSecurity reports U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., has called on the Department of Health and Human Services to include new data standards in its proposed data-sharing rules. Warner's aim with the standards recommendation is to ensure protections on patient data with growing interoperability. "I share the goals of advancing interoperability in patient health information and believe that — implemented appropriately — this proposal could represent a significant step in that direction," Warner ... Read More