BRUSSELS — New rules governing trans-Atlantic data transfers were formally approved Tuesday, months after Europe’s top court ruled against the previous arrangements amid concerns over the surveillance activities of U.S. intelligence agencies.
The European Union and the U.S. say the new Privacy Shield imposes stricter obligations on American companies, including the likes of Facebook and Apple, to safeguard the personal data of individuals, from health matters to social media activities.
Critics argue the new framework, which takes effect Aug. 1, doesn’t go far enough, that consumer protections are not strong enough and that the possibility of blanket surveillance from U.S. agencies remains. Another court challenge to the new arrangements is widely anticipated.
As part of the deal, the U.S. government has promised that any access on national security grounds by public authorities to personal data transferred under the new arrangements will be subject to “clear conditions, limitations, oversight and preventing generalized access.”
Source: http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/US-EU-approve-new-Privacy-Shield-data-sharing-8355389.php
