EU-US Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework backed by Google
Google expressed its support for the new EU-US Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework in a recent statement. According to the post from Google Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy Karan Bhatia, “People want to be able to use digital services from anywhere in the world and know that their privacy is respected, and their information safe and protected.” He also added that Google aims to certify its process following the framework, and in addition, the guidelines suggested that efforts should be taken to enact “a robust new U.S. federal privacy law to align with international standards and enhance trust and confidence in digital services.”
Provisional agreement for Digital Markets Act settled
The European Parliament and Council worked out a provisional agreement for the Digital Markets Act, which regulates targeted advertising, messaging services, and other practices from large technology platforms. The Commission will be able to impose fines and other penalties for rule infringements. “The agreement ushers in a new era of tech regulation worldwide. The Digital Markets Act puts an end to the ever-increasing dominance of Big Tech companies. From now on, they must show that they also allow for fair competition on the internet,” said Andreas Schwab, the rapporteur from Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee.
Source: IAPP, European Parliament
Healthcare Providers fined for HIPAA violations
The US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights completed its investigations against healthcare providers for compliance issues that violate the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Two of the cases resulted in fines for healthcare providers after individuals sought their private health information through the HIPAA Right of Access initiative. The other cases involved healthcare providers inappropriately disclosing patient information.
Source: IAPP, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
$1.1 million settlement approved for TikTok’s COPPA violations
The US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois approved a class-action settlement against TikTok and Musical.ly concerning the tracking, collecting, and disclosing of personally identifiable data from children below 13 years old without parental consent. The lawsuit, filed in 2019, states the apps violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). US users aged below 13 who registered for TikTok or Musical.ly will be part of the class members who will receive the settlement.
Source: IAPP, Docket Alarm
