GDPR's FIrst Year: Opens 54 Investigations Into Data Compliance, Many Target Facebook, Twitter

With its sights set on top U.S. tech companies, the European Union’s GDPR was busy over the past year.

Since being enacted in May 2018, the data protection and privacy platform has received 6,624 complaints, according to Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC).

The GDPR was alerted to 5,818 data-security breaches, while more than 48,000 contacts were received through the DPC’s Information and Assessment Unit.

Plus, 54 investigations were opened -- 35 of which are non-cross-border investigations, and 19 of which are cross-border investigations into multinational technology companies and their compliance with the GDPR.

A number of these investigations are targeting U.S. tech giants, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, BBC News reports.

Regulators in Ireland are also investigating whether Google’s real-time bidding platform violates Europe’s privacy laws, officials recently revealed.

The DPC told the BBC it has launched 19 statutory investigations -- 11 of which target Facebook, and its top properties, including WhatsApp and Instagram.

More broadly, the increased focus on data security appears to be influencing consumer habits around the world.  Consumers are becoming more selective about sharing their location data, according to Airship.

The average opt-in rate for use of location data declined from 9.3% to 7.7%, Airship also found.

However, in industries where the use of location data provides an immediate consumer benefit, opt-in rates for location-based services have increased dramatically.
1 comment about "GDPR's FIrst Year: Opens 54 Investigations Into Data Compliance, Many Target Facebook, Twitter".
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  1. James Smith from J. R. Smith Group, May 29, 2019 at 7:54 a.m.

    Gavin, just curious.  How much money has GDPR generated in fines and where does that money go once collected.

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