What’s new in privacy rules, data sharing and cyber security

THE National Privacy Commission bans online lending apps for privacy violation

The NPC has ordered the shutdown of four Online Lending Apps (OLAS) due to privacy violations. In a statement, the NPC said it launched an investigation into the OLAS amid complaints of unauthorized use of personal data, resulting in harassment and shaming of borrowers.

Banks want stiffer sanctions against cybercriminals

Amid a sharp increase in online fraud as more Filipinos embrace digitalization due to mobility restrictions, banks want stiffer sanctions versus cybercriminals. The banks are urging Congress to pass House Bill 9651 that will ensure that criminals are held accountable for what they have done.

T-mobile hacker who stole data on 50 million customers: ‘Their security is awful’

The 21-year-old hacker who is taking responsibility for breaking into T-mobile US Inc.’s systems said the wireless company’s lax security eased his path into a cache of records with personal details on more than 50 million people and counting.

The hacker said he managed to pierce T-mobile’s defenses after discovering in July an unprotected router exposed on the Internet. He added that he did it to gain attention: “Generating noise was one goal.”

The August intrusion was the latest in a string of high-profile breaches at US companies that have allowed thieves to walk away with troves of personal details on consumers. A booming industry of cyber-security consultants, software suppliers and incident-response teams have so far failed to turn the tide against hackers and identity thieves who fuel their businesses by tapping these deep reservoirs of stolen corporate data.

The UK government plans to relax its privacy rules and strike new data transfer agreements

The new privacy rules and cross border agreements with the US and other countries are a move to reform data regulations since leaving the European Union last year.

New British data protection rules would differ from the EU’S General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), according to the government’s proposal published a few days ago. The UK government said the new privacy rules will be innovation-friendly and allow for easier data-sharing while eliminating “box-ticking” measures from the EU rules.

A revised approach to data sharing would help develop better scientific and technology research, the UK proposal said, referring to the country’s public health-care database of hospital patients’ x-rays and images that helped researchers understand the disease and quickly develop treatment during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The government said it would open its proposals for public comments in the coming weeks before making legal changes. It wants to “quickly and creatively” conclude new data-transfer agreements with 10 priority countries including the US, Australia, Colombia and South Korea. Separately, the EU is negotiating such a deal with the US after the top EU court ruled that the previous Privacy Shield agreement was illegal.

New privacy law will help China flex muscles on Digital Trade

China’s new privacy law outlines Beijing’s mandate to shape global discussions about data protections, giving the government greater power to scrutinize how companies transfer information abroad.

The Personal Information Protection Law, or PIPL, unveiled very recently imposes rules on how companies can use Chinese citizens’ data and the conditions firms must meet to share information with computer servers or business partners outside the country. That could have a significant impact on international data flows as more countries are looking at changing the rules, like the UK.

As you can see, data privacy protection remains high on the agenda around the world and in the Philippines. Companies here are encouraged to improve their data protection and their cyber security. There are automation systems available that will allow your Data Privacy Officer (DPO) to:

• Achieve operational compliance with data protection laws,

• Implement a data protection/ privacy management program, and demonstrate accountability to regulators.

If assistance in privacy rules, data sharing and cybersecurity is needed, contact me at hjschumacher59@ gmail.com