TikTok fined $600 million for China data transfers that broke EU privacy rules
Ireland's Data Protection Commission also sanctioned TikTok for not being transparent with users about where their personal data was being sent and ordered the company to comply with the rules within six months.
The Irish national watchdog serves as TikTok's lead data privacy regulator in the 27-nation EU because the company's European headquarters is based in Dublin.
'TikTok failed to verify, guarantee and demonstrate that the personal data of (European) users, remotely accessed by staff in China, was afforded a level of protection essentially equivalent to that guaranteed within the EU,' Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle said in a statement.
TikTok said it disagreed with the decision and plans to appeal. The company said in a blog post that the decision focuses on a 'select period' ending in May 2023, before it embarked on a data localization project called Project Clover that involved building three data centers in Europe.
'The facts are that Project Clover has some of the most stringent data protections anywhere in the industry, including unprecedented independent oversight by NCC Group, a leading European cybersecurity firm,' said Christine Grahn, TikTok's European head of public policy and government relations. 'The decision fails to fully consider these considerable data security measures.'
TikTok, whose parent company ByteDance is based in China, has been under scrutiny in Europe over how it handles personal information of its users amid concerns from Western officials that it poses a security risk over user data sent to China.
In 2023, the Irish watchdog also fined the company hundreds of millions of euros in a separate child privacy investigation. The Irish watchdog said its investigation found that TikTok failed to address 'potential access by Chinese authorities' to European users' personal data under Chinese laws on anti-terrorism, counterespionage, cybersecurity and national intelligence that were identified as 'materially diverging' from EU standards.
Grahn said TikTok has 'has never received a request for European user data from the Chinese authorities, and has never provided European user data to them.' Under the EU rules, known as the General Data Protection Regulation, European user data can only be transferred outside of the bloc if there are safeguards in place to ensure the same level of protection.
Grahn said TikTok strongly disagreed with the Irish regulator's argument that it didn't carry out 'necessary assessments' for data transfers, saying it sought advice from law firms and experts. She said TikTok was being 'singled out' even though it uses the 'same legal mechanisms' that thousands of other companies in Europe does and its approach is 'in line' with EU rules.
The investigation, which opened in September 2021, also found that TikTok's privacy policy at the time did not name third countries, including China, where user data was transferred. The watchdog said the policy, which has since been updated, failed to explain that data processing involved 'remote access to personal data stored in Singapore and the United States by personnel based in China.'
TikTok faces further scrutiny from the Irish regulator, which said that the company had provided inaccurate information throughout the inquiry by saying that it didn't store European user data on Chinese servers. It wasn't until April that it informed the regulator that it discovered in February that some data had in fact been stored on Chinese servers.
Doyle said that the watchdog is taking the recent developments 'very seriously' and 'considering what further regulatory action may be warranted.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
28 minutes ago
- First Post
Drone strike hits Kurdistan oil field, US firm halts operations
The Arbil government said the Sarsang oil field in Duhok province was hit, denouncing the strike as 'an act of terrorism against the Kurdistan Region's vital economic infrastructure'. read more A drone strike on Tuesday forced a US company to suspend operations at an oil field in Iraq's Kurdistan, the latest in a string of attacks targeting the autonomous region's energy facilities. The Iraqi government said it will investigate the attacks, which occurred months before legislative elections, at a time of simmering tension between Baghdad and the regional administration in Arbil mainly over oil exports. The Arbil government said the Sarsang oil field in Duhok province was hit, denouncing the strike as 'an act of terrorism against the Kurdistan Region's vital economic infrastructure'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It did not say who may be behind the attack, and there was no claim of responsibility. Tuesday's attack followed similar drone strikes a day earlier on an airport hosting US troops and on an oil field in Arbil province, near Duhok. HKN Energy, the US firm operating the Sarsang site, said a blast occurred at about 7:00 am (0400 GMT) at one of its production facilities. 'Operations at the affected facility have been suspended until the site is secured,' it said in a statement. A fire broke out but caused no casualties. HKN said emergency teams later contained the blaze. In the past few weeks, Iraq and particularly the Kurdistan region have seen a spate of unclaimed drone and rocket attacks. Long plagued by conflict, Iraq frequently experiences such attacks, often linked to regional proxy struggles between Iran and the United States and its ally Israel. Iraqi Kurdistan presents itself as a relative oasis of stability in a volatile Iraq, attracting foreign investors due to its close ties with the United States and European countries. 'Vital institutions' On Tuesday, Kurdistan's presidency condemned the latest attacks, warning that they 'pose a risk' to international investments and calling on Baghdad to find the perpetrators and prevent further incidents. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered an 'immediate and comprehensive investigation' into the attacks, his military spokesman Sabah al-Numan said. 'The nature and timing of these criminal acts indicate malicious intent aimed at creating confusion and harming Iraq and its vital institutions,' Numan added. Iraq is gearing up for legislative elections in November, which are often marked by heated political wrangling. The attacks also come at a time of heightened tension between Baghdad and Arbil over oil exports, with a major pipeline through Turkey shut since 2023 over legal disputes and technical issues. In May, Iraq's federal authorities filed a complaint against the autonomous Kurdistan region for signing gas contracts with two US companies, including HKN Energy. Iraq slammed the deals, saying all oil and gas development must be conducted through the federal government. A few hours after Tuesday's drone attack, Iraq's oil ministry announced an initial agreement with HKN to develop the Hamrin oil field in Salaheddin province. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Unacceptable' The US embassy in Baghdad denounced the recent drone strikes, including on 'critical infrastructure' in Kurdistan. 'These attacks are unacceptable,' the embassy said on X, adding that the Iraqi government 'must exercise its authority to prevent armed actors from launching these attacks against sites… where Iraqi and international companies have invested in Iraq's future'. The Sarsang attack came a day after other explosive-laden drone attacks were reported elsewhere in Kurdistan. One drone was shot down near Arbil airport, while two others hit the Khurmala oil field in the same province, causing material damage. There has been no claim of responsibility for those attacks. Politicians close to the Kurdish authorities blamed pro-Iran groups, without offering evidence. On July 3, the Kurdistan government said that the Hashed al-Shaabi, a coalition of pro-Iran former paramilitaries now integrated into the regular armed forces, had downed a drone near Arbil airport. Baghdad rejected the accusation against 'an official Iraqi security institution'.
Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
2-3% working professionals return for PG after job stint
Mangaluru: A growing number of working professionals in Mangaluru, are taking a break to return to campuses to pursue their post-graduation. This trend, once mainly associated with MBA/MCA aspirants, has spread to other professional and allied health sciences courses. Educational institutions have noted that there is a slight increase in enrolment of those returning after gaining industry experience to upgrade their academic qualifications. Currently, the number of those returning to campus for post-graduation is around 2% to 3% on campus. Dr Alwyn V D'Sa, registrar of St Aloysius (deemed to be university), noted a shift in academic timelines among students. "There was a time when students were expected to complete both, UG and PG by the age of 23. But students are choosing to work after their UG before returning later, for their post graduation. Those who come back after gaining work experience often have an edge. They are not only more aware of their strengths and interests but are also better paid, even if their academic scores aren't the highest. Many change their field of study entirely, after spending time in the industry. What was once common for MBA or MCA courses is now seen across disciplines," he said adding that this trend mirrors a growing adoption of Western academic culture, where students work and later complete higher studies. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cách giao dịch ETH/USD mà không cần nắm giữ Ether IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo Dr Sunitha Saldanha, dean at Yenepoya School of Allied Health Sciences, said, "I always wished that, especially in courses like allied health sciences, students would return for higher education only after gaining valuable work experience or a long internship. On our campus, we have around 3% of such candidates who returned to studies after work experience," she said. Dr Vijay Kumar M, vice-chancellor, Yenepoya (deemed to be university), however, said that the medical field is seeing a reverse trend where UG students soon after completing graduation, want to crack NEET-PG or related entrance examinations and rush to postgraduate courses. "Earlier, those who completed MBBS would work for a few years and later go to postgraduate studies."
Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
US secondary tariff threat may sour India's love affair with Russian oil
President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced 100% tariff on Russian exports, including oil, and an equivalent secondary tariff on countries importing Russian shipments to be imposed after a 50-day deadline for Moscow to end the war with Ukraine. NEW DELHI: The US threat to slap penal tariffs on countries buying Russian oil may sour India's love affair with those barrels as the benefit of discounts would be far outweighed by the cost to its merchandise exports to America at a time both countries are discussing a trade deal. President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced 100% tariff on Russian exports, including oil, and an equivalent secondary tariff on countries importing Russian shipments to be imposed after a 50-day deadline for Moscow to end the war with Ukraine. The fine print of Trump's plan and how it will pan out remain sketchy at this point. But the oil market took the announcement calmly as the long deadline dispelled worries over immediate supply disruption, leaving benchmark Brent crude below $70/barrel. Indian refiners have been lapping up Russian oil at discounts since February 2022 as others shunned those barrels due to Western sanctions on Moscow imposed after its invasion of Ukraine. Russia currently accounts for a third of India's oil imports, against less than 1% before the war. Things may be different this time if Trump carries through with his threat. This is because, as reports in western media said, secondary tariff will apply to the country and affect all merchandise exports, unlike in the case where only the entities doing business with sanctioned Russian entities are penalised. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Jag stänger ner. 70% rabatt - Utförsäljning (sista kollektionen) Handmakarens rapport LÄS NU Undo If that is the case, Indian refiners will have no other way than pivot towards its traditional West Asian and suppliers and new players such as Brazil to make up for lost Russian supplies. These new barrels will, however, come at a higher cost — ranging between $4-5/barrel. Arranging alternative supplies will not be difficult as 'there is enough enrgy available in the world,' according to oil minister Hardeep Singh Puri . 'Oil prices are still between $65 and $70,' he said on the sidelines of a seminar on education on Tuesday. The government had approached two major West Asian oil producers to examine additional supplies through their alternative evacuation routes if the fear of disruption in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz came true during the recent Israel-Iran war. Industry watchers said Indian refiners are likely to tank up on cheap Russian oil during the deadline period the way they had done during the srael-Iran conflict while tying up alternative supplies. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
