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Tech News

Facebook shuts down academics researching fake news adverts

A project tracking fake news in Facebook adverts has been put on hold after the social network deleted researchers' accounts.

09/08/2021

Tech News

Dutch data protection authority fines TikTok over privacy

The Netherlands’ Data Protection Authority has fined TikTok €750,000 for not offering an understandable privacy statement for users in Dutch.

22/07/2021

Tech News

Pegasus spyware scandal: What we know so far

An international group of journalists made explosive allegations about widespread government spying on mobile phones. Here's what they say.

20/07/2021

Tech News

WhatsApp goes phoneless, Microsoft gatecrashes World Emoji Day party

What you need to know in tech this week: WhatsApp pilots multi-device access and Microsoft's paperclip symbol gatecrashes World Emoji Day party.

17/07/2021

Tech News

WhatsApp faces EU consumer complaints over privacy changes

A European consumer organisation says WhatsApp is unfairly pressuring users to accept its new privacy policy.

12/07/2021

Belgium

Big tech companies exposed to EU privacy cases after court decision

Facebook, Google, Twitter, and others can be challenged by watchdogs in any EU member state, not just its lead regulator in Ireland, the bloc’s top court has ruled.

15/06/2021

France

Ikea France fined €1 million for spying on staff and some customers

The French subsidiary of the home furnishings giant Ikea was found guilty of spying on union representatives, employees and some unhappy customers in the country.

15/06/2021

United Kingdom

UK surveillance breached human rights laws, top European court rules

The case upheld a 2018 ruling by the lower chamber of the European Court of Human Rights.

28/05/2021

Tech News

European privacy groups challenge facial scan firm Clearview

Four groups say Clearview stockpiled biometric data on more than 3 billion people without their knowledge or permission by “scraping" their images from websites.

27/05/2021

United Kingdom

'Sobriety tags' on offender's ankle fight alcohol-related crime in UK

The electronic devices analyse offenders' sweat and alert the probation service if they detect alcohol.

31/03/2021

Business

Firms 'double spending on online privacy' amid surge in home working

"Suddenly, everyone is working remotely, data is off premises and people have access to highly confidential data on devices, which aren't directly controlled by IT departments," said one expert.

02/02/2021

Norway

Norway fines Grindr dating app €9.6m over data privacy breach

It comes after a complaint by the Norwegian Consumer Council, which had alleged that users' personal data was being shared unlawfully for marketing purposes.

26/01/2021

Europe Decoded

TikTok introduces changes aimed at improving privacy for younger users

The changes include making the default privacy setting for accounts with users aged 13 to 15 to private.

13/01/2021

Europe News

EU countries 'should be able to challenge' big tech firms over privacy

Data protection agencies should be allowed to pursue legal action against Facebook and other firms over privacy issues, says the advocate general of the ECJ.

13/01/2021

Europe Decoded

Turkey investigates WhatsApp and Facebook over data privacy update

The new policy means users outside the EU and UK must agree to more of their data being shared to Facebook for advertising purposes.

11/01/2021

Europe News

EU could partially halt new privacy rules to fight online child abuse

There are an estimated 16 million images of child abuse on the internet - at least 800,000 of them from within the EU.

17/11/2020

World News

Privacy activists file EU complaint over iPhone tracking

A Vienna-based group has filed complaints against Apple over its use of software to track the behavior of iPhone users, arguing that it violates European Union electronic privacy laws.

16/11/2020

Ireland

Irish watchdog probes Instagram over protection of children's data

Ireland's Data Protection Commission is investigating Instagram over safeguards for children's personal information.

19/10/2020

Netherlands

Tech multinationals sued for alleged large-scale GDPR breaches

The damages could exceed €10 billion if the legal proceedings are successful, the NGO filing the cases said.

14/08/2020

World News

Tracing apps: is privacy protection to blame for few downloads in EU?

Contact tracing apps were once hailed as a way for Europe to get a grip on COVID-19 and move away from costly lockdowns. Where did things go wrong?

28/07/2020