Facbook Meta: EU fines Facebook EURO 1.3 billion

Commission (DPC), which acts on behalf of the European Union, said the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) had ordered it to collect "an administrative fine in the amount of 1.2 billion euros".

The DPC has been investigating Meta Ireland's transfer of personal data from the EU to the United States since 2020.

It found that Meta, which has its European headquarters in Dublin, failed to "address the risks to the fundamental rights and freedoms of data subjects" that were identified in a previous ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).

Read more at: https://www.france24.com

USA: Internet providers collect "staggering" amounts of data - U.S. FTC chair

nternet service providers collect a “staggering” amount of detailed data on consumers, Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan said on Thursday in discussing an agency staff report on information collected by major providers like AT&T and Verizon Wireless.

“We intend this report to be the continuation of an ongoing discussion about commercial data practices, and user privacy,” said Khan, who noted that the data collected could also crop up as an issue in merger reviews.

Read more at: Internet providers collect "staggering" amounts of data - U.S. FTC chair - Metro US

Personal Data Breaches: How US companies could use patients’ data from Covid vaccine drive - by Jessica Glenza

Data rights organizations have warned that patients lack a clear understanding of how information about their health, employment, contact or location details may be used if it is collected by private entities during the Covid-19 vaccine drive.

Some advocates have already expressed concerns that the information could be used for marketing, targeted advertising or de-identified and sold into the multibillion-dollar health data industry.

Read more at How US companies could use patients’ data from Covid vaccine drive | US news | The Guardian

EU Personal Privacy Rights: New EU digital law will 'protect personal data' - by Damon Embling

On the same day as Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg was getting a grilling in the US over the Cambridge Analytica scandal, the future of digital was the focus in Brussels.

The Digital Day coming amid big questions over the use of our personal data.

One German MEP said she was clear what she would be asking Zuckerberg right now.

"My question would be why Facebook did not inform the users as soon as they learned about the data had passed on," said Julia Reda.

"Because the problem, of course they can't control the fact that somebody else illegally use data for the wrong purpose. But apparently they have known this for a long time and they didn't inform users, they didn't inform the public and there I think is the real scandal."

Zuckerberg has not yet taken up a European Parliament offer to attend a session.

Next month, a strict new EU law comes in on data privacy, which the Facebook chief has said he agrees to "in spirit," but he's stopped short of committing to it as a standard for the social network globally.

"Here is a law that will protect personal data, a regulation in which the consent of users is at the heart of it," explained Mariya Gabriel, EU Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society.

"This means that each user has the right to know how their data is used and to freely decide to give their authorisation or not."

The EU law - known as the General Data Protection Regulation - is the biggest overhaual of online privacy since the birth of the internet.

Read more: New EU digital law will 'protect personal data' | Euronews

Safety on the Internet: 10 Tips to Protect Yourself Online

1. Use different passwords for every account.
Of course it's easier just to remember one password, but when has taking the easy route ever gotten you anywhere?

2. Make sure your passwords are strong.
You also have to make sure those passwords are good, hard-to-guess passwords.

3. Set up two-factor authentication.
Google's Tabriz says two-factor authentication or two-step verification is something everyone should set up on his or her Google account.

4. Don't reveal too much on social networks.
"Fifty years ago, the bad guy was the KGB. They were the mole on the inside. Today we, with social media, are the mole on the inside."

5. Protect your computer and browser.
This one used to be the most obvious and probably still is. Make sure if you are using a Windows PC you are using an up-to-date anti-virus or spyware program.

6. Secure your wireless connection.
Just as important is protecting the way you get onto the Internet. Make sure you have protected your home wireless network with a password and you have changed the default SSID (your network's name) -- that means changing it from "Linksys" to something else.

7. Shop only at safe sites.
We went over some shopping safety tips around the holiday season, but make sure the site has a little padlock icon next to the address and it has an HTTPS address before putting in your credit card number.

8. Think before clicking links or downloads.
Clicking links is second nature on the Internet, but we should be careful before we click those lines of text or download."

9. Protect your phone with a password.
Your phone is now a computer and can have as much or even more personal information than your laptop or desktop.  Android users should also consider security software or apps.

10. Always pay attention.
It might be obvious, but just remember that if you're using any Internet service or Web browser you have to be smart and alert at all times.


EU-Digest

EU investigates and - "Oops: Google admits it didn’t delete Street View data after all" - by Cassandra Vinnograd and Raphael Satter

After being caught spying on people across Europe and Australia with its Wi-Fi-slurping Street View cars, Google had told angry regulators that it would delete the ill-gotten data.

Google broke its promise.

Britain’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) received a letter from Google in which the company admits it kept a “small portion” of the electronic information it had been meant to get rid of.

“Google apologizes for this error,” Peter Fleischer, Google’s global privacy counsel, said in the letter, which the ICO published on its website.

The ICO said in a statement that Google Inc. had agreed to delete all that data nearly two years ago, adding that its failure to do so “is cause for concern.”

Other regulators were less diplomatic, with Ireland’s deputy commissioner for data protection, Gary Davis, calling Google’s failure “clearly unacceptable.” Mr. Davis said his organization had conveyed its “deep unhappiness” to Google and wants answers by Wednesday.

Google said that other countries affected included France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Austria and Australia. Attempts to reach regulators in several of those countries weren’t immediately successful Friday.

Google Inc. also admitted for the first time its "Street View" cars around the world accidentally collected more personal data than previously disclosed - including complete e-mails and passwords - potentially breathing new life into probes in various countries.

Note EU-Digest: "Interestingly U.S. regulators looking at Google Inc's data grab by "Street View" cars have decided to end their inquiry, noting "improvements that the search company has made to build consumer privacy into its corporate structure."

Read more: Oops: Google admits it didn’t delete Street View data after all - The Globe and Mail

The EU Commission new data protection proposed rules for the digital age

Current EU data protection rules date back to 1995. In those days the internet was virtually unknown to the majority of Europeans.

Today, 250 million people use the internet daily in Europe. Just think how that has changed our personal data landscape through the explosion of e-commerce, social networks, on-line games and cloud computing.

The European Commission has therefore adopted proposals for updating data protection rules to meet the challenges of the digital age. In particular, proposals which will strengthen the protection of EU citizens personal data online.

These proposals will now be debated by the Council and the European Parliament before they can become law. In the meantime, for some additional information also watch the short video "Take Control Of Your Personal Data" or download the EU Commission Data Protection Brochure

Click here for further information from the European Commission - Justice

Electronic Frontier Foundation: European Lawmaker Sues U.S. Agencies to Obtain Travel-Related and Other Personal Information

For the complete report from the Electronic Frontier Foundation click on this link

European Lawmaker Sues U.S. Agencies to Obtain Travel-Related and Other Personal Information

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) filed suit on behalf of a member of the European Parliament today, demanding that the U.S. government release records about her "risk assessment" score and other information gathered about her during her international travels. The lawsuit comes just days after the disclosure that the U.S. and the European Union may soon finalize an agreement authorizing the transatlantic exchange of large amounts of personal data. Sophia In 't Veld represents the Netherlands in the European Parliament and serves on the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice, and Home Affairs. She has been actively engaged in developing policies concerning the exchange of travelers' data between the U.S. and the European Union (EU).

During the ongoing and contentious debates between the U.S. and the EU over travelers' records and the privacy rights of EU citizens, the U.S. government has repeatedly claimed that any person can obtain her records through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. To test those assurances, In 't Veld filed FOIA requests with the Homeland Security, Justice, and State Departments, asking for any information about her that is included in the various U.S. programs and systems used to track international travelers. However, the agencies have failed to comply with the requests as required by federal law.

"Ms. In 't Veld's experience shows the inaccuracy of U.S. assurances that EU citizens can gain easy access to personal information held in agency databases," said EFF Senior Counsel David Sobel. "The truth is that it is virtually impossible for any individuals --even U.S. citizens -- to access information about themselves that is collected and maintained by American security agencies. It's important that EU officials and citizens understand the reality of the situation before moving forward with a sweeping agreement on the exchange of sensitive personal data." This FOIA lawsuit is part of EFF's ongoing work to protect travelers from privacy-invasive programs at the U.S. border. EFF has also filed suit against DHS for denying access to public records on the questioning and searches of travelers at U.S. borders and called on Congress to investigate the random, suspicionless searches of laptops and electronic devices.