In data privacy and security, we might have a “forest for the trees” moment right now. And they may not be the trees we expected. By now, you are familiar with the term ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance). Although the term itself can induce political and social tensions today, it is a shorthand for a basket of intangible aspects of a business that, through the reactions of shareholders, employees, and customers, can affect the bottom line or even enterprise viability. The terminology is new; the underlying concepts of internal and external perception go back to the 1960s, if not much earlier. The danger of this new name lies in divisive cultural issues relating to “E” and “S” overwhelming “G”—governance, an uncontroversial concept crucial to businesses handling personal data.Continue Reading Focusing on the “G” in ESG: Why it Makes the Most Money Sense for the Short and the Long Haul
How Much Forgiveness Does $1.3 Billion Buy in the EU?
On Monday, May 22, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) published a decision hitting Meta, parent of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, with a €1.2b ($1.3b) fine for impermissibly transmitting personal information from the European Economic Area (EEA) to the United States. The EDPB described Meta’s activities as “serious” and including “transfers that are systematic, repetitive, and continuous,” and it stated that the fine was intended to serve as a “strong signal to organizations that serious infringements have far-reaching consequences.”Continue Reading How Much Forgiveness Does $1.3 Billion Buy in the EU?