Tag: Privacy Law

(Nov 16, 2018) Self-learning algorithms are deployed in countless products and services throughout the digital ecosystem, but there have been lots of instances where those algorithms exacerbate discrimination. However, Lokke Moerel, Morrison & Foerster senior of counsel and Tilburg University professor, notes, "If self-learning algorithms discriminate, it is not because there is an error in the algorithm, but because the data used to train the algorithm are 'biased.' ... It is only when you know which data... Read More

(Nov 16, 2018) The U.K. government has published a draft text of the withdrawal agreement concerning the U.K.’s exit from — and future relationship with — the European Union. The withdrawal agreement confirms that once the U.K. leaves the EU, there will be a transition period lasting until Dec. 31, 2020, during which EU law will apply with some exceptions. Cynthia O'Donoghue of Reed Smith writes for Privacy Tracker about the draft agreement and the "Outline of the political declaration setting out the framewor... Read More

(Nov 16, 2018) The European Data Protection Board has released the agenda for its fourth plenary scheduled to take place Friday. The EDPB plans to discuss and update on Brexit and the EDPB rules after the European Economic Area agreement. The EDPB also seeks to tackle the second annual review of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield agreement, opinions on the European Commission's adequacy decision for Japan, guidelines for the territorial scope of the EU General Data Protection Regulation, an exchange of different strat... Read More

(Nov 16, 2018) The U.S. General Services Administration aims to finalize new rules on when contractors are required to disclose data breaches, Nextgov reports. The GSA rules would require contractors to report any data breaches where the "confidentiality, integrity, or availability" of data has been compromised, as well as when any information systems managed by government agencies have been impacted. The rules also give the GSA and any agency that works with a contractor when the breach takes place the abilit... Read More

(Nov 16, 2018) If self-learning algorithms discriminate, it is not because there is an error in the algorithm, but because the data used to train the algorithm are “biased.” It is only when you know which data subjects belong to vulnerable groups that bias in the data can be made transparent and algorithms trained properly. The taboo against collecting such data should, therefore, be broken, as this is the only way to eliminate future discrimination. We often see in the news that the deployment of machine le... Read More

(Nov 16, 2018) In its comments to the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the American Medical Informatics Association calls for harmonized health care privacy laws, Healthcare IT News reports. The AMIA said in its comments patchwork privacy rules already exist in health care, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and Common Rule. The agency cited HIPAA in particular as an example, as health care organizations interpret the rule differently, which leads to... Read More

(Nov 16, 2018) The U.K. government has published a draft text of the withdrawal agreement concerning the U.K.’s exit from — and future relationship with — the European Union. The withdrawal agreement confirms that once the U.K. leaves the EU there will be a transition period lasting until Dec. 31, 2020. The EU has an option to extend this transition period. As a general rule, EU law will apply in the U.K. during the transition period, although the withdrawal agreement does provide for some exceptions. During... Read More

(Nov 16, 2018) Nova Scotia Information and Privacy Commissioner Catherine Tully released her annual report, CBC News reports. Tully’s report states 40 percent of the appeals her office received were related to “denial of access to records.” Tully writes government agencies have failed to conduct searches and respond to requests in an adequate amount of time. As databases continue to grow, Tully notes there is an “urgent need to strengthen and clarify the responsibilities for and monitoring of interoperable hea... Read More

(Nov 16, 2018) U.K. Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said Canada’s political parties need independent oversight in regards to their data policies, CBC News reports. Denham said political parties need to be transparent over the ways they acquire data, and while those parties have their own internal data protection policies, they are simply not good enough. “If you don't have independent oversight, how can the public trust what's going on? Because then the parties are marking their own homework,” said D... Read More

(Nov 16, 2018) In an op-ed for The Globe and Mail, Molly Reynolds writes about the potential for entities to over-report cyberattacks under Canada’s new data breach notification law. Reynolds writes companies may begin to report any incident, even minor data breaches, which could overwhelm the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and cause the public to no longer pay attention to when their data is at risk. “The Privacy Commissioner’s Office must follow the lead of its U.K. colleagues and provide more ... Read More