You can't outsource accountability, but many organizations are doing just that, often without even realizing it. This is especially the case when it comes to data. As businesses rely more heavily on third-party suppliers to store, move, and manage their data, the risk of something going wrong multiplies. Whether that's compliance, the ability to restore lost data, or susceptibility to cyber attack.
Under the GDPR, "personal data" is broadly defined and includes both directly identifiable information (e.g., names, contact details) and indirectly identifiable information (e.g., IP address, unique IDs). "Pseudonymous data" constitutes personal data if individuals can be identified using "reasonably likely" means - taking into account all objective factors such as cost, time, and available technology. By contrast, "anonymous data" is information which does not relate to an identified or identifiable individual.
One of the headlining features of Apple's new AirPods Pro 3 was the ability to translate incoming audio in real time, but it seems the feature won't work in the European Union at launch. On its official page detailing the features available on iOS 26, the company said EU residents or those with EU Apple IDs won't be able to use live translation, which is powered by Apple Intelligence and will also be coming to AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2.
On September 1, France's CNIL imposed a fine of EUR 325M on Google for displaying advertisements between Gmail users' emails without their consent and for placing cookies when creating Google accounts, without valid consent of French users. Following a complaint filed by the organization None Of Your Business on August 24, 2022, the CNIL conducted several inspections between 2022 and 2023 on Gmail messaging service and on the process of creating a Google account.
Meta has agreed for the first time to stop using the personal data of a specific individual for targeted advertising, as part of a negotiated settlement with human rights campaigner Tanya O'Carroll.