By Invitation | Data protection

Don’t be fooled by Meta’s fine for data breaches, says Johnny Ryan

Europe’s GDPR, once seen as a model, is an enforcement flop

Image: Dan Williams

THE EUROPEAN UNION’S best-known law is about to turn five. On May 25th 2018 the EU introduced the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Spurred by the revelations of Edward Snowden, an American whistleblower, the bloc’s lawmakers gave Europe’s rights-based approach to data sharp new teeth. Enforcers gained formidable powers, including the authority to raid companies like Google, Meta and Amazon, and to force them to change how they operate. This showpiece regulation was hailed as the new global standard for data protection and privacy.

From the May 27th 2023 edition

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