Data Protection in the News - February 2021

Expert commentary from Tim Lennard with a roundup of recent data privacy stories
from around the globe

​Brexit discussions continue, with UK Government sources indicating that a positive UK adequacy decision is likely within the extended transitional window (open to June 2021). Observers wonder whether this is an entirely objective assessment or whether the EU might choose to exact further pressure on the UK.

The Portuguese presidency of the council of the EU has brought further impetus to agreement of the terms of the much-discussed ePrivacy legislation, now ready for presentation to the Parliament.

In the US, expectation and speculation continues around the need for, and likelihood of, federal data privacy law. Certainly, the privacy debate shows no sign of abating.

In APAC, the ten member states of ASEAN (Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) approved the new Data Management Framework (DMF) and Model Contractual Clauses for Cross Border Data Flows.

Tech companies continue to posture and wrestle over tracking technologies, with Apple assuming a moral high ground in the scheduled withdrawal of cookies and requiring the user to opt in to IDFA (Identifier for Advertisers), a move that threatens a Google revenue stream heavily dependent on the ability to target users based on cookie deployment. This move could be disruptive for organisations heavily invested in cookie-based targeted advertising.

WhatsApp has seen a large negative reaction to its announced changes in privacy terms and data sharing agreements with Facebook, and an increase in users choosing alternative messaging platforms.

At a more tactical level, organisations are reminded that the ‘new normal’ of working from home carries the risk of employees processing personal data in ways that pose a risk to its security.

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