Data Privacy and Security

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UK children see as much harm online as before platform safety duties, Ofcom says October 22, 2026 | Imogen Howse

Children’s reported exposure to harmful content online showed no significant overall change over the first nine months after platforms were subjected to new child safety duties, regulator Ofcom said in a repor... (more story)

Retailer Boulanger risks €9m fine in French privacy case over data breach (update*) October 22, 2026 | Matthew Newman

French electronics retailer Boulanger should be fined €9 million for several violations of EU data protection rules for failing to secure customers’ data and using weak passwords, a French privacy official sai... (more story)

Split remains in digital euro fee talks as EU Commission floats middle ground October 22, 2026 | Helena Freitas

Negotiations on the digital euro continue to be complicated by disagreements over merchant fees, with the European Commission suggesting a possible middle ground between EU lawmakers and governments. It will p... (more story)

Airbnb, Booking hosts’ rental rules in Brussels need court approval, ECJ rules October 22, 2026 | Júlia Tar

Hosts using Airbnb, Booking.com and other short-term rental platforms can be required to obtain authorization in Brussels under certain circumstances, the EU’s highest court ruled on Thursday. The Brussels Cou... (more story)

Japan police's decades-long use of old license photos raises privacy-law concerns October 22, 2026 | Sachiko Sakamaki

Police in Japan's Kanagawa Prefecture used photographs from expired driver's licenses for more than 30 years to identify people suspected of involvement in terrorism and extremist activities, local media repor... (more story)

Optus seeks soft-class closure ahead of Australian data-breach mediation October 22, 2026 | Sean Maguire

Singtel Optus is seeking soft-class closure ahead of February mediation to clarify how many people may seek compensation over a 2022 data breach alleged to have affected around 9.5 million people in Australia.... (more story)

Meta says youth-related legal costs drove 68% expense growth; more trials loom October 22, 2026 | Mike Swift

Legal costs were again a key element of the 68 percent jump in expenses Meta Platforms recorded in the third quarter of 2026, it said Wednesday. The social media giant recorded a $9.9 billion expense as part o... (more story)

Sixth Circuit hears arguments about US FCC privacy rules en banc October 21, 2026 | Madeline Hughes

The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit was asked by telecommunications groups to strike down 2024 Federal Communications Commission privacy rules because they closely resemble 2016 rules that Congress removed.

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China's proposed export curbs balance AI edge with global reach October 22, 2026 | MLex Staff

China’s proposed technology-export restrictions expose a tension in the country's ambitions as a technology power: Beijing wants to retain control over innovations underpinning its industrial strength while pr... (more story)

Character.AI bankruptcy showcases high stakes of competition in AI markets October 21, 2026 | Alex Wilts, Chris May and Emma Whitford

Character.AI’s recent bankruptcy filing illustrates how compute costs, competition for talent, regulatory scrutiny and funding needs can challenge smaller artificial intelligence companies’ ability to compete ... (more story)

PHP incident shows AI exposing longstanding cyber vulnerabilities October 21, 2026 | Emma Whitford

The revelation Wednesday that two major security vulnerabilities exist in programming language PHP highlights a significant challenge of the artificial intelligence age: AI can help hackers quickly find and ex... (more story)

Schools, tech giants clash over evidence in first US bellwether education trial October 20, 2026 | Mike Swift

With a first bellwether trial over how social media design affected US schools just over three months away, two school districts in Arizona and South Carolina are trying to exclude evidence of racial conflict,... (more story)

UK online safety regime's future may turn on watchdog's current court battles October 15, 2026 | Imogen Howse

A raft of legal challenges from Meta Platforms, TikTok, X and other digital companies to UK regulator Ofcom’s information demands, revenue rules and service categorization is threatening to reshape the country... (more story)

In new OpenAI, SpaceX suits, privacy emerges as growing US AI litigation risk October 14, 2026 | Mike Swift

Privacy litigation filed against the likes of OpenAI, SpaceXSI and Suno in US courts is accelerating, with new lawsuits testing whether traditional laws governing children's privacy, biometrics and wiretapping... (more story)

Japan's EU data adequacy seen unaffected by privacy advocates' challenge October 14, 2026 | Sachiko Sakamaki

Recent amendments to Japan's data protection law are not expected to jeopardize the country's mutual adequacy arrangement with the EU, despite calls from domestic privacy advocates for European authorities to ... (more story)

Meta's pugilistic trial strategy proved costly in recent US litigation October 13, 2026 | Mike Swift

Mark Zuckerberg's stated reluctance to settle lawsuits before US jury trials over privacy and addictive design in recent years has exposed Meta Platforms to potentially more than $50 billion in verdicts, penal... (more story)