Information Policy

FCC Under Trump: Net Neutrality & Internet Freedom Face New Attack

We turn now to look at President Donald Trump’s newly appointed chair of the Federal Communications Commission, Ajit Pai, who has begun to attack net neutrality rules and other consumer protections. In a series of actions earlier this month, Pai blocked nine companies from providing affordable high-speed internet to low-income families, and withdrew the FCC’s support from an effort to curb the exorbitant cost of phone calls from prison.

Malta’s new draft law raises concerns over internet freedom

Several thousand people took to the streets of Malta on Sunday (19 February) to protest against a new bill that is expected to force online news sites to register with the government.

The protest, organised by Malta’s opposition Nationalist Party (NP), is campaigning against a new proposal, seen as a clampdown on freedom of speech.

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The Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe (IAB Europe) is dismayed by the European Commission’s proposal for a new ePrivacy Regulation, the next iteration of the infamous cookie law.

On Monday, 12 December, a leaked version of the ePrivacy Regulation was published online. The most obvious change is that the file is being proposed as a European Regulation, rather than a Directive. This significantly affects the way that the law would apply - Directives require national implementation and usually Member States have two years to assess how to bring the European law within their national regimes. As a Regulation, the law could apply immediately upon adoption, and would apply directly in Member States. It would take precedence over the GDPR because it is specified as a lex specialis.

An international conference on "Enhancing the Right to Data Protection in Eastern Partnership Countries" is to be held in Tbilisi on 14-15 December. The event brings together representatives from Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova to enhance the right to data protection.

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IAB Europe Press release: Proposed ePrivacy Regulation Fails To Improve Cookie Rules

The Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe (IAB Europe) is dismayed by the European Commission’s proposal for a new ePrivacy Regulation, the next iteration of the infamous cookie law.

ePrivacy Regulation Draft Leaked

On Monday, 12 December, a leaked version of the ePrivacy Regulation was published online. The most obvious change is that the file is being proposed as a European Regulation, rather than a Directive. This significantly affects the way that the law would apply - Directives require national implementation and usually Member States have two years to assess how to bring the European law within their national regimes. As a Regulation, the law could apply immediately upon adoption, and would apply directly in Member States. It would take precedence over the GDPR because it is specified as a lex specialis.

Eastern partnership countries foster data protection

An international conference on "Enhancing the Right to Data Protection in Eastern Partnership Countries" is to be held in Tbilisi on 14-15 December. The event brings together representatives from Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova to enhance the right to data protection.

Continue reading "Eastern partnership countries foster data protection" »