The European Commission on Wednesday in Brussels agreed on new data protection rules that would give Europe’s Internet users more control over their personal data.
The debate on the new rules which would take effect in 2018 has been on for four years.
An EU statement said representatives from the EU-Commission, the European Parliament and from EU states agreed on a compromise to replace the 2-decade-old regulations currently in place.
It said the approval includes a clarified “right to be forgotten” that will allow for user’s data to be deleted, provided there are no “legitimate grounds for retaining it’’.
The statement said the decision also provided a right to data portability, allowing users to more easily transfer personal data between service providers.
It said the age of consent for signing up to online networks that share data such as WhatsApp and Facebook was set at 16, though it allowed for individual countries to set the consent age at no younger than 13.
The statement indicated that for the first time, all 28 EU members would operate under the same higher standard, rather than a patchwork of differing rules.
“Data protection oases will no longer be allowed in Europe.
“Service providers will also be obligated to inform users of any data leaks as quickly as possible.
“Internet companies such as Google and Facebook must adhere to the data usage rules and tailor their products to be data protection-friendly,’’ it said.
It said the rules applied not only to European companies, but also to U.S. firms and failure to follow the rules could lead to hefty fines.
The statement added that if users had an issue with a service provider in another EU country, the new rules allow for action to be taken in the user’s country.
“That wasn’t previously possible, forcing Austrian activist Max Schrems to take legal action against Facebook in Ireland for its use of private data.
It said the current rules have been in place since 1995, while the new rules must still be formally approved by European Council and the European Parliament.
dpa/NAN