Privacy Transformation - Issue 52

PRIVACY

Schrems files GDPR complaint over Android Advertising ID

Google faces a data-protection complaint from Austrian privacy activist Max Schrems amid concerns it unlawfully monitors users and passes on the “tracking ID” to advertisers.

You can read the complaint here.

Adtech scores a pandemic pause from UK privacy oversight

The coronavirus is proving to have an unexpected upside for the adtech industry. The U.K.’s data protection agency has paused an investigation into the industry’s processing of internet users’ personal data, saying targeted suspension of privacy oversight is merited because of disruption to businesses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hungarian government suspends EU data protection rights

The Hungarian government has announced plans to suspend its obligation to certain protections laid out in EU data protection law until the current 'state of emergency' period has been declared over.

COVID-19 NEWS

France is using AI to check whether people are wearing masks on public transport

As France makes the wearing of facial masks mandatory on public transport, it’s trialling new AI technology to check whether passengers are complying. The software, made by French startup Datakalab, is being trialed first in Paris, and will only generate anonymous statistical data.

EDPS: What is Contact Tracing?

During epidemics of infectious diseases, such as the Coronavirus disease, it is important to lower the number of new infection cases and ultimately, to end new transmissions. A process that attempts to achieve this aim is known as contact tracing. But what is contact tracing, and what are the different approaches being taken to achieve this by technological means?

UK government Covid tracking app: what we found

As the UK is about to launch its app to trace potential Coronavirus patients; as it launches its 'pilot' we look at its technical functionalities.

Nearly 40% of Icelanders are using a covid app—and it hasn’t helped much

The country has the highest penetration of any automated contact tracing app in the world, but one senior figure says it “wasn’t a game changer.”

There are additional COVID-related resources in the Guidance and Resources sections below.

DATA BREACH

Eir fails to halt case against it over alleged data obligations breach

Headline Eir fails to halt case against it over alleged data obligations breach.

ENFORCEMENT

Swedish DPA: Wrongful to publish sensitive personal data on county’s website

The Swedish Data Protection Authority’s investigation shows that the Healthcare Committee in Region Örebro County made a mistake when publishing on the region’s website sensitive personal data about a patient admitted to a forensic psychiatric clinic. The DPA has issued an 11 000 euro fine.

GUIDANCE

Data Protection Authorities for France and the Netherlands have weighed in on the use of temperature taking in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.

What is a CSIRT and how can it help me? — ENISA

With the COVID-19 outbreak, many SMEs, businesses and citizens had to make a giant leap into the online world. Europeans can count on more than 500 Computer Incident Response Teams (CSIRT) to respond to cyber security incidents and attacks.

See interactive map of EU CSIRT teams here.