Privacy Transformation - Issue 100

PRIVACY

Irish approach to data protection ‘Kafkaesque’, says Schrems

Irish approach to data protection ‘Kafkaesque’, says Schrems

Austrian privacy campaigner Max Schrems has described Ireland’s approach to protecting European Union citizens’ data as a “Kafkaesque” waste of Irish taxpayers’ money.

Related:

DPC launches inquiry into Facebook in relation to a collated dataset of Facebook user personal data made available on the internet

Another huge data breach, another stony silence from Facebook

Another huge data breach, another stony silence from Facebook

Half a billion Facebook users’ accounts stolen. Personal information compromised. Telephone numbers and birth dates drifting across the internet being used for God knows what. And for four days, from Facebook’s corporate headquarters, nothing but silence.

Over 5.1m records on HSE's contact tracing database

Over 5.1m records on HSE's contact tracing database

Ireland’s contact tracing database of people who either have contracted Covid-19 or have been close contacts has over 5.1m records. The information on the database, known as the Covid Care Tracker, is expected to be held until at least the end of the pandemic, according to tracing lead Niamh O’Beirne.

U.K., EU Face Privacy Criticism for Covid-19 Passport Plans

U.K., EU Face Privacy Criticism for Covid-19 Passport Plans

British and European plans to develop coronavirus passports aim to let businesses reopen safely, but privacy advocates and businesses warn that they may be invasive and onerous.

Covid-19 Fuels Inequality, Political Divide, Authoritarianism World-Wide, U.S. Intelligence Analysts Say

Covid-19 Fuels Inequality, Political Divide, Authoritarianism World-Wide, U.S. Intelligence Analysts Say

The Global Trends 2040 report envisions a rough ride ahead for the planet, with accelerating contests over resources, governments struggling to meet citizens’ aspirations and increased fragmentation of communities.

SECURITY & TECH

Hamburg privacy watchdog moves to block expanded WhatsApp data transfers to Facebook

Hamburg privacy watchdog moves to block expanded WhatsApp data transfers to Facebook

A Data Protection Authority in the German city-state of Hamburg decided it would push to block WhatsApp-to-Facebook data transfers, at least on German soil, before the mid-May deadline when the terms change.

NHS Covid-19 app update blocked for breaking Apple and Google's rules

NHS Covid-19 app update blocked for breaking Apple and Google's rules

Apple and Google's rules state that no location data from app users can be shared.

AI datasets are filled with errors. It's warping what we know about AI

AI datasets are filled with errors. It's warping what we know about AI

Our understanding of progress in machine learning has been colored by flawed testing data.

UK NCSC - Weekly Threat Report

UK NCSC - Weekly Threat Report

The NCSC's weekly threat report is drawn from recent open source reporting.

DATA BREACH

Clubhouse data leak: 1.3 million scraped user records leaked online

Clubhouse data leak: 1.3 million scraped user records leaked online

An SQL database containing 1.3 million Clubhouse user records has been leaked for free on a popular hacker forum.

Scraped data of 500 million LinkedIn users being sold online, 2 million records leaked as proof

Scraped data of 500 million LinkedIn users being sold online, 2 million records leaked as proof

A user on a popular hacker forum is selling 500M LinkedIn users' full names, email addresses, phone numbers, workplace information, and more.

Related:

LinkedIn faces probe following scraping of personal data

Human error blamed for majority of 149 data breaches at Revenue

Human error blamed for majority of 149 data breaches at Revenue

Incidents include final tax demand sent to ex-wife, and exam results sent to third party

NHS patient data breached at least 1,395 times in two years

NHS patient data breached at least 1,395 times in two years

Dozens of NHS staff have been disciplined after data laws to protect patient's personal information were breached at least 1395 times over the last two years.

RESOURCES

EDPB - 48th Plenary Session

EDPB - 48th Plenary Session

Opinions on draft UK adequacy decisions, Guidelines on the application of Article 65(1)(a) GDPR, Guidelines on the targeting of social media users and Statement on international agreements including transfers.

Economic & Reputational Risk of the DPC’s Failure to Uphold EU Data Rights

ICCL Report: The DPC’s failure to uphold fundamental data rights affects 448 million people across the EU, exposing them to electoral manipulation, and predatory profiling. This poses economic and reputational risks to Ireland according to a report submitted by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties to the Oireachtas Justice Committee.

CONTRIBUTE

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