Belgium's Data Protection Authority recently established its core enforcement priorities for 2023. The ADP will focus on developing positions on cookies to correlate with the rest of Europe and forging stronger relationships with organizations’ data protection officers.
Google reached a $391.5 million settlement with 40 state attorneys general over allegations its location tracking misled users, The New York Times reports. The state attorneys general said the settlement, which followed a four-year investigation, is the largest involving internet privacy by U.S. states. Under the settlement, Google agreed to clarify its location tracking disclosures in 2023.
The Council of the European Union finalized text for the proposed Artificial Intelligence Act, including revisions made by the Czech presidency, Euractiv reports. New text states the AI Act "does not affect the competencies, tasks, powers and independence of the national authorities in charge of supervising the protection of fundamental rights, including equality bodies and data protection authorities." The council is set to "reach a general approach" on the text Dec.
In this week’s global legislative roundup, European Parliament approved the NIS2 Directive, a modernized framework based on the EU Network and Information Security Directive. A Stockholm court ruled against the Swedish data protection authority for turning over an individual’s decision following his complaint against a music streaming service. And, in the U.S., several senators asked the Federal Trade Commission to halt its rulemaking for commercial surveillance. (IAPP member exclusive.) Full Story
Democratic U.S. lawmakers questioned how Elon Musk is protecting data and privacy on Twitter following his purchase of the platform, Politico reports. U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., said Musk should be held liable for his "conscious decision" to violate a 2011 consent decree with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission "in which Twitter pledged, unequivocally, to protect consumer data." Sen.
Planned Parenthood urged the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to "write tailored regulations to protect consumers' sensitive data from the potentially dangerous consequences of commercial surveillance and lax data security," MediaPost reports. In comments responding to the FTC's request for input on commercial surveillance and data security, the organization said it believes "all data related to accessing health care must be kept confidential," adding companies should have to meet "time-bound" data retention guidelines.
Nigeria's National Information Technology Development Agency is seeking comments on a draft National Data Strategy.
Former Slovenian Information Commissioner Nataša Pirc Musar was elected as the country’s first female president, the Guardian reports. She was elected with 53.8% of the vote with 99% of ballots counted as of Nov. 13. Pirc Musar, a former journalist, was first elected as Slovenia’s commissioner for access to public information in 2004.Full Story
A New York resident is suing Apple in a class-action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, MediaPost reports. The plaintiff, Elliot Libman, alleged the company collects “information about iPhone users' interactions with its apps, even when the users attempt to opt out of the data collection.” Libman claimed Apple’s practice violates California consumer privacy laws. Meanwhile, U.S.
Global data privacy software company Anonos acquired Berlin-based synthetic data company Statice, Business Wire reports.