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☆ Meta accused of ‘massive, illegal’ data collection operation by European consumer rights groups
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —European consumer rights groups have accused Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, of carrying out a “massive” and “illegal” operation of collecting data from hundreds of millions of users in the region. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), an umbrella body for 45 consumer groups, said eight of the groups were filing complaints with their respective national data protection authorities Thursday. The company’s practices, the groups argue, breach parts of the European Union’s signature data privacy law, the General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR. Several days later, Meta launched a subscription service allowing its European users to pay up to €12.99 ($14) a month to use ad-free versions of Facebook and Instagram. The organization filed a complaint with European consumer protection authorities in November, arguing that this “pay-or-consent” approach was an example of an unfair and “aggressive” commercial practice prohibited under EU law.

Persons: Meta, “, Ursula Pachl, Brian Fung Organizations: London CNN, Facebook, European Consumer Organisation, General Data, CNN, Meta Locations: Europe, United States

☆ Outside the US, teens’ social media experiences are more tightly controlled
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Here’s a closer look at how child safety is regulated on social media platforms in other parts of the world. “It will take a couple of years until the first round of the audits of social media companies mandated in the DSA are published,” he said. Can social media companies be sued in the EU? At the same time, however, China’s government also largely blocks access to social media platforms as part of its efforts to monitor and censor the internet. And in Brazil, a data protection law includes special protections for children’s data, including consent to share personal data.

Persons: Here’s, Apple –, what’s, haven’t, Fernando Hortal Foronda, ”, “, Asha Allen, Brian Fung, Clare Duffy Organizations: CNN, European, Meta, Apple, Digital Services, Companies, Big Tech, EU, European Consumer Organisation, DSA, ” Tech, European Commission, EU’s Digital Service, Centre of Democracy and Technology, Justice, European Union, Minor Protection Locations: EU, Centre of Democracy and Technology Europe, China, India, Brazil

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms' (META.O) paid no-ads subscription service, which it rolled out in Europe this month, breaches EU consumer laws, Europe's largest consumer group said on Thursday as it took its grievance to consumer protection authorities. Meta has said it launched the paid no-ads subscription service, which applies to Facebook and Instagram, to comply with EU rules requiring companies to give users a choice on whether their data can be collected and used for targeted ads. It also took issue with the "very high subscription fee for ad-free services" which could deter users. The ad-free service cost 9.99 euros ($10.96) monthly for Web users and 12.99 euros for iOS and Android users. Meta has said these prices are in line with Google's (GOOGL.O) YouTube and Spotify's (SPOT.N) premium services and with Netflix (NFLX.O).

Persons: Dado Ruvic, NOYB, Meta, BEUC, Ursula Pachl, Pachl, Foo Yun Chee, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Meta, REUTERS, Rights, European Consumer Organisation, CPC, Facebook, EU, YouTube, Netflix, Thomson Locations: Rights BRUSSELS, Europe, Austrian, Brussels

☆ Businesses criticise new EU data rules, consumer group sees missed opportunity
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, June 28 (Reuters) - Businesses and Big Tech on Wednesday criticised European Union data rules agreed between EU countries and lawmakers, saying they could hinder data flow and contractual freedom, while a pan-European consumer group said they did little for Europeans. The Data Act, agreed on Tuesday, sets out rights and obligations for how Big Tech and companies use European consumer and corporate data, focusing on that generated in smart devices, machinery and consumer products. Revelations by former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden in 2013 of mass U.S. surveillance have led to EU concerns about data transfers. Tech lobbying group Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) said the new rules disadvantage Big Tech -labelled as large online platforms under separate newly adopted EU tech legislation - and hence limits consumers' choice. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) lamented the agreement as a missed opportunity to do more for users.

Persons: Edward Snowden, Cecilia Bonefeld, Dahl, CCIA, Ursula Pachl, Foo Yun Chee, Alex Richardson Organizations: Big Tech, European Union, EU, Airbus, Google, Nokia, Qualcomm, Philips, SAP, Siemens, Sony, Tech, Computer & Communications Industry Association, Digital Markets, European Consumer Organisation, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, EU

☆ Ireland bolsters data watchdog's powers, privacy activists cry foul
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Padraic Halpin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBLIN, June 28 (Reuters) - Ireland bolstered its powerful data regulator's ability to stop the sharing of information during its inquiries into global tech companies amid criticism from opposition parties, privacy activists and non-governmental organisations. Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) is the European Union's lead regulator of many of the world's largest technology companies due to their EU headquarters being based in Ireland, and has levied billions of euros worth of fines under the bloc's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), introduced in 2018. The DPC had sought the powers in order to ensure fair procedure, he said. "To be clear nothing in this amendment will prevent a complainant from speaking out about the nature of their data privacy complaint. The European Consumer Organisation, European Digital Rights group and Amnesty International also spoke out against the bill.

Persons: Max Schrems, James Brown, DPC, Johnny Ryan, Catherine Murphy, Padraic Halpin, Grant McCool Organizations: DUBLIN, Data Protection, Irish, of Civil Liberties, European Consumer Organisation, European Digital Rights, Amnesty International, Social Democrats, Thomson Locations: Ireland, European, Austrian

☆ Factbox: Governments race to regulate AI tools
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

CHINA* Planning regulationsThe Chinese government will seek to initiate AI regulations in its country, billionaire Elon Musk said on June 5 after meeting with officials during his recent trip to China. ITALY* Investigating possible breachesItaly's data protection authority plans to review other artificial intelligence platforms and hire AI experts, a top official said in May. ChatGPT became available again to users in Italy in April after being temporarily banned over concerns by the national data protection authority in March. SPAIN* Investigating possible breachesSpain's data protection agency said in April it was launching a preliminary investigation into potential data breaches by ChatGPT. The Biden administration earlier in April said it was seeking public comments on potential accountability measures for AI systems.

Persons: Alan Turing, Elon Musk, Margrethe Vestager, Vestager, CNIL, Dado Ruvic, Ziv Katzir, Israel, ChatGPT, OpenAI, Antonio Guterres, Guterres, Michael Bennet, Biden, Alessandro Parodi, Amir Orusov, Jason Neely, Kirsten Donovan, Milla Nissi Organizations: Microsoft, Authority, Reuters, EU, Key, European Consumer Organisation, Seven, REUTERS, Israel Innovation Authority, UNITED, International Atomic Energy Agency, United Nations, U.S . Federal Trade Commission's, Thomson Locations: AUSTRALIA, BRITAIN, Britain, CHINA, China, Beijing, U.S, FRANCE, Italy, Hiroshima, Japan, IRELAND, ISRAEL, Israel, ITALY, JAPAN, SPAIN, Gdansk

☆ Consumer protection bodies urged to investigate ChatGPT, others
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, April 24 (Reuters) - The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has joined the chorus of concern about ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence chatbots, calling on EU consumer protection agencies to investigate the technology and the potential harm to individuals. BEUC, the umbrella group for 46 consumer organisations from 32 countries, set out its worries in separate letters earlier this month to the network of consumer safety authorities (CSN network) and to the network of consumer protection authorities (CPC network). It said younger consumers and children are more vulnerable to such risks. The group also called on the Consumer Safety Network to start an exchange of information and an investigation into the safety risks of these products. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Nintendo to repair for free unresponsive game controllers, EU says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, April 4 (Reuters) - Japanese gaming company Nintendo (7974.T) has agreed to repair for free beyond the legal guarantee period unresponsive console controllers following complaints from European consumer groups, the European Commission said on Tuesday. Nintendo found itself in the EU spotlight after the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and nine national consumer groups in 2021 complained to the EU executive about its Nintendo Switch console, saying they deteriorate too quickly. This technical problem known as the 'Joy-Con drift' affected both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite consoles. "This is only a short-term fix that will allow consumers to have their defective products repaired for free. Yet Nintendo can still sell the console with the potential bug," BEUC Deputy Director General Ursula Pachl said in a statement.

The rules would apply to fridges, vacuum cleaners, televisions, washing machines and other goods that are deemed "repairable" under EU law. The EU is negotiating rules that would extend the requirement to smartphones and tablets. Under the EU rules, companies would have to repair a defective product for free within the two-year legal guarantee period, if the cost of repair is cheaper or equal to replacing the product. After that date, companies must still offer repairs, either for free or for a charge. A second law, proposed by Brussels on Wednesday, would force companies to verify claims that their products are "green" or "eco-friendly".

BRUSSELS, March 6 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms' (META.O) WhatsApp has agreed to be more transparent about changes to its privacy policy introduced in 2021, the European Commission said on Monday, following complaints from consumer bodies across Europe. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and the European Network of consumer authorities told WhatsApp last year that it had not clarified the changes in plain and intelligible language, violating the bloc's laws. WhatsApp has now agreed to explain changes to EU users' contracts and how these could affect their rights, and has agreed to display prominently the possibility for users to accept or reject the changes and ensure that users can easily close pop-up notifications on updates. The company also confirmed that users' personal data is not shared with third parties or other Meta companies, including Facebook, for advertising purposes. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee in Brussels and Charlotte Van Campenhout in Amsterdam; Editing by Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EU countries' stance on AI rules draws criticism from lawmaker, consumer group
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Dec 6 (Reuters) - EU countries on Tuesday agreed a common position on draft artificial intelligence rules ahead of negotiations with EU lawmakers to thrash out the details, but drew criticism for not adequately addressing the issue of facial recognition. The European Commission proposed the AI rules last year, seeking to catch up with China and the United States in a technology used in smartphones, computers, self-driving cars, online shopping and advertising, and factories. The draft rules need to be hashed out with EU countries and EU lawmakers next year before they can be implemented. EU lawmakers have yet to reach agreement on their common position. The countries agreed to exclude national security, defence and military purposes from the AI rules, according to a statement from the Council of the European Union.

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