Collection crackdown
The EU has said it is committed to strengthening data privacy rules to boost transparency and give users of search and social networking sites more control over how their personal information is used by internet giants.
A set of more stringent rules will be prepared next year following public consultation, in what could be the first overhaul of the out-dated legislation in 15 years.
"The protection of personal data is a fundamental right. To guarantee this right, we need clear and consistent data protection rules. We also need to bring our laws up to date with the challenges raised by new technologies and globalisation. The Commission will put forward legislation next year to strengthen individuals' rights while also removing red tape to ensure the free flow of data within the EU's Single Market," said VP Viviane Reding, EU commissioner for justice, fundamental rights and citizenship.
The EC has set out a number of goals set to shape the new proposals.
It has stressed that individuals should have the "right to be forgotten" when data is no longer needed or they want it to be deleted. The Commission wants to strengthen their rights so the collection of personal data is kept to a minimum.
The EC believes: "Individuals should also be clearly informed in a transparent way on how, why, by whom, and for how long their data is collected and used."
It also wants to cut the administrative burden of companies as it thinks the current EU data protection rules lack clarity about which country's rules apply and harms the free flow of personal data within the EU, also raising costs.
Under the Lisbon Treaty, the EU now has the possibility to lay down comprehensive and coherent rules on data protection for all sectors, including police and criminal justice. It will also revamp the 2006 Data Retention Directive under which companies are required to store communication traffic data for a period of between six months and two years.
The European Commission also wants to bolster protection for data transferred outside the EU by boosting and streamlining procedures. "The EU should strive for the same levels of protection in cooperation with third countries and promote high standards for data protection at a global level," it said.
Lastly, more effective enforcement of the rules are on the cards, so companies caught flaunting them may face a little more than a slap on the wrist.
Google had been found to breach UK laws by collecting data from individual and businesses' unsecured Wi-Fi accounts while on its Street View rounds but the UK Information Commissioner has decided against fining the search giant.
The issue of data collection is increasingly in the public's consciousness as more third-party services on mobiles are launched as well as location services such as Facebook's Places Deals, which was unveiled today.
