PL&B editorial team reports from Brussels, London, and Marrakesh



This 32 page October edition of PL&B International Report covers the latest news and analysis from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. We generate our own material from our dedicated editorial team and expert correspondents in every continent.

Next week, Laura Linkomies, Editor, and I are travelling to the 38th Privacy and Data Protection Commissioners’ Annual Conference in Marrakesh, Morocco from where we will report for you on meeting Data Protection Authorities from around the world and the developments there.  Many of them are also subscribers to this publication and/or speak at PL&B conferences (see p.31).

Two weeks ago, Laura and I were in Brussels for the conference organised by the European Data Protection Supervisor and BEUC, the European Consumer organisation (p.1). It is clear that Data Protection Authorities and consumer organisations regard each other as allies when dealing with difficult to understand and unfair terms and conditions, for example, with mobile apps (p. 10). The US Federal Trade Commission is broadly working in the same direction but has a different concept of abuse of market position arising from Big Data and other causes.

Yesterday, I attended a hearing in the UK’s House of Commons where new Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, gave evidence for the first time since her appointment. The subject was the Digital Economy Bill, in which data protection issues are addressed directly in only part of the text. However the collection, use and disclosure of personal data is a running theme in today’s digital economy and therefore, in her comments on the Bill. They included directors’ personal liability for fines, calling line identification to combat nuisance calls, definitions of personal information, penalties for re-identification of anonymised personal data, transparency, trust, data sharing, exemptions from the limitations on using shared data, safeguards, sanctions, age verification for access to online pornography, and Privacy Impact Assessments.

If you are thinking about how to prepare for the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, see PL&B’s seven forthcoming events over the next nine months (p.31).

Let us know what you would like us to report on next by e-mailing Laura Linkomies.

Regards,

Stewart Dresner, Publisher

International Report 143

Lead story:

EU-US Privacy Shield put into practice – first experiences

Some 200 companies had been certified towards the end of September. Axel Spies discusses the challenges already encountered and also what lies ahead of us.

Contents also include:

  • Comment: World of privacy shrinks
  • European Cyber Security Month
  • Norway’s Consumer Council wins revised app privacy terms
  • The role of genetic data in personalized medicine
  • Philippines puts key privacy rules in place but NPC faces pressure
  • Data localisation in China and other APEC jurisdictions
  • Q&A on EU-US Privacy Shield
  • Book Review: DP and Privacy
  • Data portability under EU GDPR: A financial services perspective
  • 3rd parties under the Privacy Shield
  • Russia’s DPA raises its profile
  • Ashley Madison: Lessons for all
  • Events Diary
  • South Africa to appoint regulator
  • US issues self-driving car guidance
  • Privacy and trade agreements
  • Senegal enters DP arena
  • EU advice on Privacy Shield
  • Israel’s DPA issues guidance on audio recordings and CCTV
  • Ecuador introduces privacy bill
  • EU e-Privacy revision on its way
  • US Cyber-Insurance Bill proposed
  • Germany: GDPR Act leaked
  • Bavaria issues GDPR guidance
  • Ireland’s hearing on Standard Contractual Clauses in February
  • Ashley Madison: DPAs’ report