DPC | Business Post

EU plans major new law on GDPR enforcement amid criticism of Irish privacy watchdog

New law proposed by the European Commission could have significant implications for Ireland’s Data Protection Commission – as well as the Big Tech companies that have their European headquarters here

Stalking case leads Bank of Ireland to tighten access to customer data

A woman launched High Court proceedings against the bank after her estranged father had been able to use ATM information to locate her in Spain and England

WhatsApp to appeal after being penalised by Irish regulator over collection of users’ information

The messaging app has already taken legal action on a previous €225m fine from 2021, and is planning to appeal a new €5.5m penalty

Data Protection Commission fines WhatsApp €5.5m for privacy breaches after another dispute with EU regulators

The Irish watchdog has served Meta’s platform with a comparatively small penalty because it has previously fined it €225m for similar issues

Data Protection Commission and Meta emerge bruised from EU privacy punch-up

The Irish regulator fined Instagram and Facebook a combined €390 million for breaches of the GDPR in its use of personal data for advertising – but only after it was effectively forced to by other European data agencies

Irish Data Protection Commission contacts Twitter after hackers reportedly leak 235m email addresses

Regulator said it had not established whether the apparent new leak would form part of an investigation it launched into an earlier batch of Twitter leaks last December

The Big Interview

‘It’s really challenging to navigate this complex labyrinth of digital law’ – Anna Morgan

Head of privacy and data protection Ireland at Bird & Bird says businesses that require workers to be online are going to have to face a ‘huge tsunami’ of digital legislation

DPC set for fresh dispute with EU counterparts as it seeks order blocking new Meta inquiry

The Data Protection Commission has been told to increase its fines on Facebook and Instagram, and launch a new investigation

Irish data watchdog increases fines on Meta to €390m after EU regulator rejects draft decision

Watchdog increased the penalties, which bring the total amount levied against the company to over €1bn, following a dispute with other EU regulators over the Facebook owner’s processing of users’ personal data

Morning Headlines

Mica homeowners in new property tax row; DPC puts Twitter under the microscope

The stories you need to read this morning in business, politics and current affairs

Tech Regulation

Data Protection Commission seeks clarity from Twitter over Brussels office closure

Key location for tech giant to engage in European regulation had been reduced to just two executives following Elon Musk’s staff cuts

Update of HEA Springboard website exposes personal data of 45,000 users

Members of the Garda, the prison service and people working in the HSE are among those whose details could be viewed online

Two extra commissioners to be appointed to DPC

Restructure is due to watchdog dealing with increasingly complex investigations in recent years, as lead regulator for many of the world’s largest data companies, according to Justice Minister

WhatsApp puts aside €240m for potential regulatory fines

The move comes as the business appeals a €225 million penalty levied last year by Ireland’s data watchdog for alleged ‘severe’ breaches of privacy laws

Future DPC headquarters was initially dismissed due to concerns over ‘low profile location’

Documents show the controversial Pembroke Row premises was overlooked until the data watchdog was forced to reconsider them because none of its preferred options were workable

Privacy watchdog awaits Facebook’s next move after EU-US data transfer deal

The deal struck between the US and EU on international data transfers is likely to see the Data Protection Commissioner receive submissions to its ongoing inquiry into Facebook

Meta fined €17m by Data Protection Commission

The penalty relates to 12 data breach notifications in 2018

DPC does not need more commissioners but should consider more outsourcing, report says

External audit finds ‘feeling’ among staff that DPC’s model is no longer fit for purpose

Setting the record straight: Helen Dixon on fixing the DPC’s image problem

Its critics have claimed that the Data Protection Commission has too many shortcomings to carry out its duties effectively, but commission head Helen Dixon believes the criticism is misplaced and misinformed

Data and Goliath: can the Irish watchdog hold its own?

Controversy is raging in Europe over the Irish Data Protection Commissioner’s ability to curtail the power of Big Tech, and it is doing untold damage to the country’s reputation