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Information Technology
4 – Artificial Intelligence Act: Safe, reliable and human-centred artificial intelligence
The proposal for regulating artificial intelligence by the European Commission marks a global first, introducing a comprehensive legal structure in this domain. This Act targets both AI system providers and users, emphasising significant penalties for non-compliance — potentially up to 40 million Euros or 7% of the total annual turnover. This underscores the importance of adherence to these regulations. At the heart of the Act is a commitment to fostering trust in artificial intelligence, a cornerstone deemed essential for unlocking and maximising the vast social and economic possibilities offered by AI technologies
3 – Digital Markets Act: Fairer digital markets
The European Union's regulation on contestable and fair markets in the digital sector, the Digital Markets Act ("DMA"), has entered into force in the EU. Today, there are a small number of very large online platforms globally that greatly influence the framework for innovation, consumer choice and competition in the digital markets. Certain large platforms therefore act as so-called gatekeepers. By establishing duties and prohibitions for such gatekeepers, the new rules seek to ensure fair competition in digital brands and to give users greater freedom of choice. The DMA also enables the European Commission to carry out market investigations and sanction non-compliance in ways heavily influenced by EU competition law enforcement.
2 – Digital Services Act: A safer digital space
The European Union's new Digital Services Act aims to create a safer digital space for citizens and businesses. The regulation seeks to provide for greater democratic control and supervision of digital platforms, and to reduce the risk of manipulation, disinformation and illegal content.
New Guidelines and Recommendations on Data Protection at the Workplace
The Norwegian Data Protection Authority (Nw.: Datatilsynet) has recently published both updated guidelines on employees' whistleblowing and an interesting study on monitoring and control of employees' digital activities (both available only in Norwegian). Both these new initiatives relate to data protection at the workplace, and are relevant to all businesses.
1 - A Europe Fit for the Digital Age
The European Union has recently been active in terms of legislative developments relating to technology and digitalisation. News about Digital Services Act, Digital Markets Act, European Union's new Artificial Intelligence Act, Data Act and Data Governance Act are emerging frequently and there is a new development almost every week.
Credit Information Act: new rules for credit assessments and processing of personal data
This article provides an overview of key issues in the new Credit Information Act which businesses must be aware of to ensure compliance with the new regulations.
Russian countermeasures on intellectual property rights
Russia has announced and implemented several countermeasures against so-called "unfriendly states". Some of these countermeasures involve intellectual property rights (IPR), meaning that entities of so-called "unfriendly states" now face countermeasures limiting the protection of their IPR in Russia. Entities of such states that do not anticipate continuing to do business in Russia can expect to see their intellectual property utilised in Russia without compensation.
Progress for the realisation of the Unified Patent Court
Recent developments bring the new Unified Patent Court (UPC) closer to reality. This means that companies doing business in the EU should start considering whether they want to engage with the new UPC system or not.
Transfer of Personal Data and the Use of Google Analytics: Austrian Data Protection Authority's Decision
Austrian Data Protection Authority decided that the use of Google Analytics violates the transfer rules under the GDPR.
New Draft Decision's Potential Impact on GDPR's Strict Consent Rules
The Irish Data Protection Commissioner's new draft decision has received significant attention. The decision relates to the legal basis of processing under the GDPR and it is criticised by many for giving entities a by-pass from GDPR's strict rules. In this article, Wikborg Rein looks into the draft decision and evaluates what it might mean for the application of the GDPR in the future.
Facebook to Delete Personal Data of More Than One Billion Users
Last week, Facebook announced their decision to stop using the face recognition technology. Facebook's decision comes against the backdrop of intensifying concerns around data privacy and Facebook's practices, and it is expected to affect more than one billion users. Wikborg Rein reviews the details of Facebook's decision and its potential consequences in this brief article.
COVID-19 and new IT solutions: Privacy in quarantine?
The corona virus is putting the health and social contemporary world in crisis. The spreading of the virus is very fast and the implementation of new IT solutions to manage both ascertained and potential corona contagions is under evaluation worldwide. The question is - how will the new technologies handle privacy of individuals?
Uncertainties for the realisation of Unified Patent Court
In a decision published 20 March, the German Constitutional Court declared the vote on the ratification act of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) Agreement void because the German Parliament did not pass the act with the required majority. The decision is published less than one month after the UK said it would not be seeking involvement in the system, and further support the growing speculations that the UPC will never get off the ground.
COVID-19 and Data Protection
The Norwegian and three other European data protection supervisory authorities on employers' collection and disclosure of employee data.
Implementing the GDPR in Norway
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) starts to apply within the European Union (EU) from 25th May 2018. Since the GDPR is an EU regulation, it will have direct applicability and direct effect in all EU member states as from that date. Norway, however, is not an EU member state but a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) and a different procedure therefore applies before the GDPR can become part of Norwegian law.
The WP29 Opinion 2/2017 on data processing at work
Article 29 Working Party (WP 29), consisting of data protection authorities from all EU and EEA states and the European DP Supervisor, has recently issued an Opinion 2/2017 on data processing at work ("the Opinion").