On 3 October 2023, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office organised its annual Data Protection Practioner’s Conference 2023 (DPPC 2023). This year its focus was on Cybersecurity – a topic that concerns organisations across the board. Here are the takeaways from the DPPC 2023 (the event sessions available here).Continue Reading The UK Information Commissioner’s Data Protection Practioner’s Conference 2023 on Cybersecurity
UK Workplace monitoring – are you compliant?
On 3 October 2023, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) published guidance (the Guidance) on lawful monitoring in the workplace. The Guidance provides advice to companies to help them comply with their obligations under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018) when monitoring anyone who performs work on their behalf. This is not limited to employees and could include monitoring of workers or those who are self-employed.Continue Reading UK Workplace monitoring – are you compliant?
DRCF to launch AI and Digital Hub regulatory advice pilot in 2024
On 19 September, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) announced in a press release that it is to launch a pilot advisory service next year, called the DRCF AI and Digital Hub.
This service will be operated by members of the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF), made up of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the Office of Communications (Ofcom), the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
The DRCF AI and Digital Hub will provide businesses with tailored advice and support regarding how to meet requirements across multiple regulatory regimes. The DSIT anticipates that this service will expedite the process of getting new products and innovations to market, in a safe and responsible manner.
As such, the launch of the DRCF AI and Digital Hub will likely be welcome news for businesses across the UK, providing companies and innovators with the tools to navigate a challenging and multi-layered regulatory environment.Continue Reading DRCF to launch AI and Digital Hub regulatory advice pilot in 2024
UK government announces a UK data bridge with the US
Further to the joint announcement in June by UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology and the US Commerce Secretary of their intention to create a UK-US data bridge (please see our blog for further details), the UK government has passed a Regulation establishing a UK-US data bridge. The data bridge comes in the form of an extension to the EU-US Data Bridge Privacy Framework (the DPF) and will come into force on 12 October.Continue Reading UK government announces a UK data bridge with the US
DSIT publishes draft amendments to the UK GDPR and DPA 2018
On 11 September 2023, the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), published the draft Data Protection (Fundamental Rights and Freedoms) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (DP Regulations), which seek to amend the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018).Continue Reading DSIT publishes draft amendments to the UK GDPR and DPA 2018
Boosting digital resilience – The UK Information Commissioner and NCSC CEO sign Memorandum of Understanding
On 12 September 2023, the UK Information Commissioner and the Chief Executive of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), signed a joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which establishes how the NCSC and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) will cooperate. The NCSC is the technical authority in the UK that provides standards and guidance to organisations on cyber security. The ICO is responsible for providing guidance and enforcement of the data protection rules in the UK, including the obligation of organisations to apply security measures around personal data.Continue Reading Boosting digital resilience – The UK Information Commissioner and NCSC CEO sign Memorandum of Understanding
Fourth Circuit Decision Highlights Class Action Waivers for Data Breaches are Alive and Well
On August 18, 2023, the Fourth Circuit decertified approximately 20 million putative class action claims arising out of a 2018 data breach involving Marriott Hotels. See here. The Fourth Circuit reversed the district court’s certification and required it to consider in the first instance whether all of the putative plaintiffs waived their claims by signing class action waivers when they registered to be part of the Starwood Preferred Guest Program (“SPG”). The SPG waiver specifically stated that “Any disputes arising out of or related to the SPG Program or the[] SPG Program Terms will be handled individually without any class action ….”Continue Reading Fourth Circuit Decision Highlights Class Action Waivers for Data Breaches are Alive and Well
The Entangled Web of Deceptive Design: ICO and CMA Investigate Harmful Website Practices
On 9 August 2023, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published a joint position paper on Harmful Design in Digital Markets (Harmful Designs Paper) that urges businesses to stop using harmful website designs that exploit customers by encouraging them to provide more personal data than necessary. The regulators are
Get your Update on IT & Data Protection Law in our Germany Newsletter (Summer 2023 Edition)
The Summer 2023 Edition of the quarterly IT & Data Protection Newsletter by Reed Smith Germany has just been released:
English version
German versionContinue Reading Get your Update on IT & Data Protection Law in our Germany Newsletter (Summer 2023 Edition)
ECJ Allows National Competition Authorities to Consider Non-Competition Law Violations in Dominance Abuse Cases
Please click here to access the source post from our Global Regulatory Enforcement Law Blog.
In this blog, the authors delve into a significant decision by the German Federal Cartel Office (FCO) four years ago, accusing a major technology company of abusive behavior due to alleged violations of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Recently