#Personal Data Protection Law

[donuttrymedebil]

Perhaps this is the bipartisan issue we have been looking for? People of all backgrounds giving the finger to AI fetishists and tech bros?

[qqueenofhades]

Okay all -- few quick thoughts about the Elon Muskifying of the government, especially the takeover of the Treasury and associated financial data for every single US citizen and organization, that we are learning about in detail today.

Don't panic. This sounds bad, because it is bad. It's really, really bad. It's outrageously fascist bad. But we've still gotta take a deep breath and get through it.

This is the kind of shock-and-awe exercise of untrammeled fascist power where they are absolutely counting on gleefully terrorizing, paralyzing, and stunning you into mounting no resistance, or just giving up and giving in. They are literally live-tweeting it in real time and boasting about all the access and influence they have right now. They want you to know about it and feel like you can't do anything, so you might as well let it happen.

We have to show them that's not true.

TIME TO MAKE SOME NOISE. Because it's Sunday night, I've gone ahead and contacted my state Attorney General and both senators by email (but come Monday morning, we should all be calling). Here is the email that I wrote to my AG:

Dear Mr. [AG],

As you will be aware, today (February 2, 2025) the Trump administration has granted wide-ranging access to sensitive US Treasury data, including the personal and private information of [state] citizens, to Elon Musk's so-called "Department of Government Efficiency." Musk is an unelected private citizen who has no legal right to access this data, and is engaging in extensive intimidation and coercion to fulfill his personal and harmful ideological agenda. The present and material harm that this causes to US citizens, [state] residents, and basic laws of government, privacy, and financial security is direct, unconscionable, and actionable. I strongly urge you, in your capacity as [state] Attorney General, to file direct suit against the Trump administration, Elon Musk, the "DOGE" office, and any identifiable individuals who have taken part in this action, in order to protect consumer data, citizen privacy, and basic faith and trust in government.

All the best,

[Qqueenofhades]

Short! To the point! Doesn't waste time, tells him what I want him to do, how Elmo's nonsense directly harms the residents of my state, and why he should take action to stop it! And frankly, given how on-the-ball blue-state AGs have been thus far, they're probably already working on it. You are very welcome to copy-and-paste this message and fill in your AG's last name and your state as appropriate. Super easy to do. Takes five minutes. Call tomorrow.

If you are in a red state, your voice is particularly important right now. The Trumpsters are counting on and are even emboldened by blue state pushback, but you really need to make it start coming from Republican strongholds. Congressional Republicans will only feel the slightest amount of unease about docilely enabling this BS when it starts threatening their own personal power. Hit them where it hurts.

Other lawsuits are coming. Marc Elias, Democratic lawyer extraordinaire, is well aware of this situation and has noted on Bluesky that more lawsuits are in the works. He often wins his cases. This does not mean that you shouldn't loudly make noise elsewhere, but please remember that this is one of those 24-hour periods where, as noted, they are counting on demoralizing you with a nonstop blizzard of bullshit. It does not say anything about how this will play out long-term or the opposition that can and will be mobilized to stop it.

Once again: courage. Take the small steps that you can do today. Then take a breath and get off social media for a little while. Try to take the long view. One step at a time, we will get through this.

Courage.

[secureprivacy]

How Businesses Comply with Mexico’s Personal Data Protection Law

Discover how businesses comply with Mexico’s Personal Data Protection Law using Secure Privacy. This blog explains key legal requirements and how our consent management platform simplifies compliance, protects user data, and builds trust. Read the full article on Medium now.

[midnightwind]

latest generative algo scrape has me sitting here like "my work isn't good enough to warrant going all out to prevent anyone from seeing it" and "quality of my work doesn't matter, I still deserve to not have it stolen and should do whatever I can to prevent that"

hope every tech bro touting this shit as AI while breaking every law possible in the process has something horrifying happen to them every day they continue to shill it either way!!

[trainsinanime]

I've seen a number of people worried and concerned about this language on Ao3s current "agree to these terms of service" page. The short version is:

Don't worry. This isn't anything bad. Checking that box just means you forgive them for being US American.

Long version: This text makes perfect sense if you're familiar with the issues around GDPR and in particular the uncertainty about Privacy Shield and SCCs after Schrems II. But I suspect most people aren't, so let's get into it, with the caveat that this is a Eurocentric (and in particular EU centric) view of this.

The basic outline is that Europeans in the EU have a right to privacy under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), an EU directive (let's simplify things and call it an EU law) that regulates how various entities, including companies and the government, may acquire, store and process data about you.

The list of what counts as data about you is enormous. It includes things like your name and birthday, but also your email address, your computers IP address, user names, whatever. If an advertiser could want it, it's on the list.

The general rule is that they can't, unless you give explicit permission, or it's for one of a number of enumerated reasons (not all of which are as clear as would be desirable, but that's another topic). You have a right to request a copy of the data, you have a right to force them to delete their data and so on. It's not quite on the level of constitutional rights, but it is a pretty big deal.

In contrast, the US, home of most of the world's internet companies, has no such right at a federal level. If someone has your data, it is fundamentally theirs. American police, FBI, CIA and so on also have far more rights to request your data than the ones in Europe.

So how can an American website provide services to persons in the EU? Well… Honestly, there's an argument to be made that they can't.

US websites can promise in their terms and conditions that they will keep your data as safe as a European site would. In fact, they have to, unless they start specifically excluding Europeans. The EU even provides Standard Contract Clauses (SCCs) that they can use for this.

However, e.g. Facebook's T&Cs can't bind the US government. Facebook can't promise that it'll keep your data as secure as it is in the EU even if they wanted to (which they absolutely don't), because the US government can get to it easily, and EU citizens can't even sue the US government over it.

Despite the importance that US companies have in Europe, this is not a theoretical concern at all. There have been two successive international agreements between the US and the EU about this, and both were struck down by the EU court as being in violation of EU law, in the Schrems I and Schrems II decisions (named after Max Schrems, an Austrian privacy activist who sued in both cases).

A third international agreement is currently being prepared, and in the meantime the previous agreement (known as "Privacy Shield") remains tentatively in place. The problem is that the US government does not want to offer EU citizens equivalent protection as they have under EU law; they don't even want to offer US citizens these protections. They just love spying on foreigners too much. The previous agreements tried to hide that under flowery language, but couldn't actually solve it. It's unclear and in my opinion unlikely that they'll manage to get a version that survives judicial review this time. Max Schrems is waiting.

So what is a site like Ao3 to do? They're arguably not part of the problem, Max Schrems keeps suing Meta, not the OTW, but they are subject to the rules because they process stuff like your email address.

Their solution is this checkbox. You agree that they can process your data even though they're in the US, and they can't guarantee you that the US government won't spy on you in ways that would be illegal for the government of e.g. Belgium. Is that legal under EU law? …probably as legal as fan fiction in general, I suppose, which is to say let's hope nobody sues to try and find out.

But what's important is that nothing changed, just the language. Ao3 has always stored your user name and email address on servers in the US, subject to whatever the FBI, CIA, NSA and FRA may want to do it. They're just making it more clear now.

[dpdp-consultants]

If you're delaying compliance until the DPDPA Rules are released, you're not just risking one penalty, but multiple. Here's why: 💣 The 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥��𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭. So, from the moment it commenced, until your company achieves compliance, you're non-compliant, leaving you vulnerable to penalties. 💣 Chances are that your company will be found defaulting and 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 of the law leading to 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬. 💣 In case of a breach, you won’t be penalised for just a data breach but for a 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 which is way larger than the penalty for 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡. 🕑 Clock is ticking. If you’re not DPDPA compliant, you’re walking on thin ice, putting your business and customer trust on the line. 🛡️ Start building your compliance today before it’s too late. Contact us for customized solutions for your business.

[nyancrimew]

personally speaking i dont think committing several severe data protection law violations while harassing a former user of my million dollar service on another website is a particularly great way to make yourself look good

[merchantservices444]

Safeguarding Success: The Crucial Role of Data Protection in E-Commerce Business

[caffiend-queen]

Authors, you’re going to want to check this database…

Thank you, my dear @jtargaryen18 for sharing this info too. 💕 I’m sorry your books were stolen as well.

Meta, which is Facebook, Instagram and Threads, is now involved in a massive lawsuit. Internal memos have been released that prove Meta intentionally stole hundreds of thousands of books - including all of mine - to data scrape and train their AI. Here’s a link to see if they’ve stolen your work too: bit.ly/4iRK92t

There’s a class action suit just about to be launched, they’re waiting for the judge to determine if this is protected under the Fair Use laws, which it is absolutely not.

I am begging you to see that piracy is inexcusable, whether it’s a single person who doesn’t want to pay for the book to a despicable multi trillion dollar corporation who thinks they’re entitled to take your creative work for free. Authors write because we love it, because we love sharing these stories with you, because we love your reactions so much.

Because you are our community.

But we’re also supporting our families. Piracy, plagiarism and theft are inexcusable, no matter what the circumstances. Here’s another helpful link to the Author’s Guild info: bit.ly/41S55zz

[guardiantech12]

How to Ensure Data Protection Compliance in Ghana

Data Protection

Data protection refers to the rules and practices put in place to guard against abuse, unauthorized access, and disclosure of sensitive personal information. Securing the data is crucial in today's increasingly digital and interconnected world, where enormous amounts of data are collected and shared, to safeguard individual privacy and win over customers, clients, and other stakeholders.

The basic goal of data protection is to make sure that data is handled, gathered, and stored securely and legally. To prevent cyberattacks, data breaches, and the unauthorized use of information, numerous organizational, technological, and legal procedures must be put in place.

Ghana's Data Protection Act:  To regulate the processing of personal data, the Data Protection Act was passed in 2012. Additionally, it created the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to oversee the observance of data protection rules.

The scope and applicability of the Act: The Act applies to all processors and data controllers operating in Ghana, regardless of their size or industry.

Penalties for non-compliance:  Serious infractions of The Data Protection Act may result in jail time, fines, or other sanctions.

The Fundamental Ideas in Data Protection:

A person's express agreement was obtained before any personal information was gathered, and the data was only used for the purposes for which it was collected.

Data minimization and precision:  Keeping only the information that is necessary while making sure it is up to date and accurate.

Information Security and Storage Limitations: Limiting the amount of time that data is retained and putting robust security measures in place to prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, or loss of information.

Personal Rights and Access: Upholding individuals' privacy rights to request access to, correction of, and erasure of their data.

Assuring Data Protection Compliance: Appointing an Officer for Data Protection: Appointing a Data Protection Officer (DPO) who will be responsible for overseeing data protection practices and ensuring compliance throughout the organization.

Implementing Data Protection Impact Assessments: Conduct assessments regularly to identify and resolve any potential threats to and vulnerabilities in data security.

The implementation of security measures: Encryption, access control, and firewalls are all security measures that are put in place to safeguard data from hacker assaults and other security lapses.

Training for employees on data protection: Educating staff members on the fundamentals of data protection policies, practices, and standards to promote a conformist culture.

Reacting to and informing about a data breach:

Planning the Response to a Data Breach: Create a thorough plan to respond to data breaches quickly and successfully.

Notifying the appropriate parties and those affected: To reduce the risk in the event of a breach, contact the NDPC and those who were impacted.

Future Data Breach Mitigation: It is possible to enhance data security and prevent future security breaches by using the lessons learned from past instances.

Data Transfer and Cross-Border Compliance: 

When transferring data outside of Ghana, be sure the recipient has given their approval and that the data is being transferred securely.

Putting in place mechanisms like Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) to protect data when it is transferred across borders will provide secure adequate safeguards.

Building customer trust is key to data protection, business prosperity, and profitability: Loyalty and Trust: Demonstrating a dedication to data security to win clients' trust and loyalty.

To avoid legal consequences: Respecting the rules on data protection will help you avoid costly legal penalties and reputational damage.

Reputation management: Keeping your business's reputation intact by safeguarding consumer data and responding to data breaches.

Conclusion:

To establish a more secure digital environment and safeguard the fundamental right to privacy for all Ghanaians, data protection in Ghana is a continuing journey that necessitates cooperation between the government, corporations, and people. Ghana may establish itself as a responsible and reliable member of the global digital economy by remaining watchful and aggressive in addressing data privacy issues.

[wizardysseus]

On Friday, the president signed yet another Executive Order, this time directly targeting funds allocated to libraries and museums nationwide. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is a federal agency that distributes fund approved by Congress to state libraries, as well as library, museum, and archival grant programs. IMLS is the only federal agency that provides funds to libraries. The Executive Order states that the functions of the IMLS have to be reduced to “statutory functions” and that in places that are not statutory, expenses must be cut as much as possible. [...] The department has seven days to report back, meaning that as soon as this Friday, March 21, 2025, public libraries–including school and academic libraries–as well as public museums could see their budgets demolished.

Actionable items from the article:

Sign the petition at EveryLibrary to stop Trump’s Executive Order seeking to gut the IMLS then share it with your networks.

Write a letter to each of your Senators and to your Representative at the federal level. You can find your Senators here and your Representative here. All you need to say in this letter is that you, a resident of their district, demand they speak up and defend the budget of IMLS. Include a short statement of where and how you value the library, as well as its importance in your community. This can be as short as “I use the library to find trusted sources of information, and every time I am in there, the public computers are being used by a variety of community members doing everything from applying for jobs to writing school papers. Cutting the funds for libraries will further harm those who lack stable internet, who cannot afford a home library, and who seek the opportunities to engage in programming, learning, enrichment, and entertainment in their own community. Public libraries help strengthen reading and critical thinking skills for all ages.” In those letters, consider noting that the return on investment on libraries is astronomical. You can use data from EveryLibrary.

Call the offices of each of your Senators and Representatives in Congress. Yes, they’ll be busy. Yes, the voice mails will be full. KEEP CALLING. Get your name on the record against IMLS cuts. Do this in addition to writing a letter. If making a call creates anxiety, use a tool like 5 Calls to create a script you can read when you reach a person or voice mail.

Though your state-level representatives will not have the power to impact what happens with IMLS, this is your time to reach out to each of your state representatives to emphasize the importance of your state’s public libraries. Note that in light of potential cuts from the federal government, you advocate for stronger laws protecting libraries and library workers, as well as stronger funding models for these institutions.

Show up at your next public library meeting, either in person at a board meeting or via an email or letter, and tell the library how much it means to you. In an era where information that is not written down and documented simply doesn’t exist, nothing is more crucial than having your name attached to some words about the importance of your public library. This does not need to be genius work–tell the library how you use their services and how much they mean to you as a taxpayer.

Tell everyone you know what is at stake. If you’ve not been speaking up for public institutions over the last several years, despite the red flags and warnings that have been building and building, it is not too late to begin now. EveryLibrary’s primer and petition is an excellent resource to give folks who may be unaware of what’s going on–or who want just the most important information.

[mschelle]

Well hot damn if it wasn't enough for this loser to throw a public tantrum now he's going out of his way to follow predestrogen on other platforms and start harassing her there!!! You can't hide these Matt I got the screenshots lol!!!!!!

HE'S BLATANTLY LYING OUT OF HIS ASS!! SPREAD IT AROUND!! And also since she seems to be from Ireland even though I don't even know shit about eu laws from what little I do know this is a big violation of GDPR and should be reported as such!! https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-topic/data-protection/reform/rights-citizens/redress/what-should-i-do-if-i-think-my-personal-data-protection-rights-havent-been-respected_en

[rainystudios]

I implore all of you to please respect the artists around you. The Generative AI debate has always been good at one thing and that's revealing who doesn't respect artists and wants to use them as a means to an end. This comes down to just basic consent and respect for boundaries. Even when artists just bring up how they would like to have the power to opt out of data training (have legal protection if their work is scraped and transparency in data processes to ensure it hasn't) or be fairly compensated for their work being scraped by a multi-million or billion dollar company, they're called entitled gatekeepers. You're welcome to give your art, photos or writing to AI companies for free if you want, but others should be able to opt out or be paid.

All of these artists (none of whom are by any means rich and may even be actively struggling to afford necessities) are being treated with contempt, as if they're the elite 1% and access to art is impossible (there are hundreds if not thousands of small local artists that can be hired by small businesses for instance). It is disheartening to see so many people telling artists, many of whom have spent decades honing their crafts that they should be happy they're going un-credited and uncompensated. In any other case with copyright infringement or plagiarism an artist's ability to protect their work has been the norm for over a century, it shouldn't be any different now.

Artists should have say over what happens with their work, just as everyday people should have say over what happens with their own personal photos and likeness. If someone specifically took photographs of you and your family without permission and mixed them together to make "new" people for their advertisements, you probably wouldn't like that very much (and yes that is also happening. Gen AI doesn't just scrape art, it scrapes photos and doesn't discern between what's an ethical photo and what's not ((i.e., photos that would break the law to be in possession of, lets say))).

If your company model solely relies on unlimited access to everyone's art, writing, photos and likeness for free without permission and while deliberately violating personal boundaries, maybe your model shouldn't exist.

[secureprivacy]

Stay Compliant with Indonesia’s Data Protection Law Using Secure Privacy

Secure Privacy helps your business comply with Indonesia’s Personal Data Protection Law. Manage user consent, safeguard personal information, and demonstrate accountability—all through one powerful platform. Ensure trust, transparency, and legal compliance with Secure Privacy’s smart data protection solutions.

[dejectedlozer524]

Ok it turns out I ain't fucking finished here because it seems like everyone has stopped fucking talking about how @predstrogen @predesterone literally faced targeted harassment from terfs, nazis and the lolcow forms for YEARS to the point of her having to remake multiple times because she kept getting deleted due to mass report spamming and no matter how much she reached out to staff to ask them to help her they NEVER FUCKING LISTENED, then to further rub salt in the wound the ceo decided to personally delete @predesterone and ban her from tumblr for life just because Rita made a joke post wishing that the ceo would die in a car hammer explosion, then despite Avery not being on tumblr anymore the ceo took it upon himself to personally stalk her to twitter and breach data protection laws by revealing a bunch of blank blogs Avery had for shits and giggles just so he could keep personally harassing her, all this just for people to turn Avery's multiple year long harassment into "Ha ha another social media ceo had a meltdown!!! XDDDD" "CAR HAMMER EXPLOSION!!! XDDD", none of you actually care about the suffering of trans women and it fucking shows, you all make me feel sick!!!

[globalnewscollective]

Trump’s Purge of the FTC: The Dismantling of Consumer Protections and the Rule of Law

What’s at Stake?

In a shocking and blatantly illegal move, Donald Trump has fired Democratic-appointed officials from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), violating longstanding norms and potentially breaching federal law. By unlawfully purging the agency of opposition, Trump is not only undermining consumer rights but also attacking the very foundation of democratic governance. This unprecedented action sets a dangerous precedent for the executive branch to override legal safeguards and seize unchecked power.

Why This Should Terrify You

The FTC is a regulatory body designed to operate independently, ensuring that corporate power does not override consumer protection. By illegally dismissing commissioners who were lawfully appointed, Trump is gutting the agency’s ability to function fairly. Here’s why this is a direct threat to democracy:

It’s a Violation of the Law – FTC commissioners serve fixed terms and cannot be removed without cause. Trump’s move is a blatant disregard for legal norms and an unconstitutional power grab.

Big Business Gets Free Reign – Without an independent FTC, corporations can exploit consumers without fear of regulation.

Silencing Opposition – Removing officials based on political affiliation erodes democratic checks and balances, turning regulatory agencies into authoritarian tools.

Monopolies Will Thrive – Tech giants and corporate behemoths will have fewer checks on their power, leading to price hikes, reduced competition, and worse conditions for workers and consumers alike.

Why This Matters to You

This isn’t just about Washington politics; it’s about your everyday life. If Trump gets away with this illegal power grab, it sets a precedent for him—or any future president—to ignore the law whenever it suits them. If the FTC becomes a rubber-stamp agency for corporate greed, you will feel the impact:

Higher Prices – Without regulation, companies can increase costs on everything from groceries to healthcare.

Fewer Consumer Protections – Companies engaging in fraud or deceptive practices will face little accountability.

More Surveillance and Data Exploitation – Tech companies will have fewer restrictions on how they use and sell your personal data.

This is particularly dangerous for young people and low-income communities, who rely on regulatory protections to ensure fair economic opportunities and prevent corporate abuse.

The Bigger Picture

Trump’s move isn’t just about the FTC—it’s part of a broader effort to dismantle democratic institutions and consolidate power. This echoes tactics used in authoritarian regimes, where leaders remove independent oversight and install loyalists to control every aspect of governance. If left unchecked, this could extend to other agencies, eroding the very fabric of American democracy.

By blatantly disregarding the law to fire FTC officials, Trump is signaling that he believes he is above legal constraints. If he can ignore these rules without consequences, what stops him from undermining election results, bypassing Congress, or silencing dissenting voices in the judiciary?

What Can You Do?

Stay Informed – Follow news on regulatory agencies and corporate influence.

Support Consumer Advocacy Groups – Organizations fighting for fair trade and consumer rights need public support.

Vote for Leaders Who Defend the Rule of Law – Elections determine who has the power to hold corporations—and presidents—accountable.

Raise Awareness – The more people know about this illegal power grab, the harder it will be for Trump to get away with it.

Demand Accountability – Pressure lawmakers to challenge Trump’s unlawful actions and take legal action if necessary.

Trump’s purge of the FTC is not just a direct assault on consumer protections—it is a brazen attack on democracy itself. If we don’t act now, the consequences will be felt for generations to come.