On April 14, 2016, the European Parliament formally adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). With this vote, the new EU data protection legal framework will become legally effective in two years and 20 days
Continue Reading WSGR Alert: New EU Data Protection Regulation Is Now Enacted
On April 13, 2016, the body of European Data Protection Authorities (DPAs)—the “Article 29 Working Party” (WP29)—issued its opinion on the new EU-U.S. Privacy Shield. The WP29 acknowledged that progress has been made with the
On February 29, 2016, the European Commission unveiled the text of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield. The Privacy Shield is designed to replace the invalidated EU-U.S. Safe Harbor Framework and to provide a new legal framework
Continue Reading WSGR Alert: EU Commission Publishes EU-U.S. Privacy Shield
On February 23, 2016, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a settlement with computer hardware maker ASUSTeK Computer, Inc. (ASUS). The ASUS settlement highlights the FTC’s position regarding security in the connected device market: connected
Continue Reading WSGR Alert: FTC Settles with Manufacturer of Home Network Routers over Alleged Data Security Flaws
On December 15, 2015, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union reached a political agreement on the text of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).1 This is a major step toward the official adoption of the GDPR, which is now expected in Spring 2016. The GDPR will have a significant impact on how EU and non-EU businesses can collect and process the personal data of EU individuals. This article discusses the key elements of the GDPR.
Continue Reading EU Reaches Political Agreement on New Data Protection Regulation
The Internet has transformed the ways that we access, consume, and use information. For years, debates have raged in both the United States and Europe over so-called “network neutrality”—the extent to which the government should require entities that provide Internet access services to treat the content that they transmit equally. In the past several months, there have been significant events with regard to network neutrality laws in the U.S. and the EU. Regulators in both jurisdictions have promulgated sweeping rules that impose new obligations on companies that operate in the telecommunications sector. This article provides an overview and high-level comparison of the new legal framework in both jurisdictions, and offers some key takeaways for companies affected by network neutrality laws on both sides of the Atlantic.
Continue Reading The FCC’s Open Internet Order and the EU’s Network Neutrality Regulation: A Comparison and Key Takeaways for Players in the Telecommunications Sector