New UK Consumer Rules Herald Stricter Enforcement and Significant Fines
Consumer protection is rising to the top of the regulatory agenda worldwide. The UK consumer protection regime is undergoing a major shift: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) now has powerful new tools under the Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers Act (DMCCA) (see our Sidley Update here), including the ability to directly enforce consumer law and fine companies up to 10% of global annual turnover for serious infringements. (more…)
Insights from the IAPP Europe Data Protection Congress: Regulatory Convergence on AI and Sidley’s Women in Privacy Networking Lunch
The International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) held its annual Europe Data Protection Congress in Brussels on November 15 & 16, 2023. Whilst the Congress covered a wide range of topics related to privacy, cybersecurity and the regulation of data more broadly, unsurprisingly a recurring theme throughout was the responsible development, commercialization and use of AI. In this regard panelists explored (amongst other things) what practical and effective AI governance may look like, the role of a Digital Ethics Officer, how to strike a balance between enabling innovation and safeguarding individual rights, and how AI may be used to automate data breach detection and response.
Unpacking Digital Data Laws Across Europe: Addressing the Digital Markets Act
The EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) is set to revolutionize the way in which so-called ‘Big Tech’ is regulated in the EU, shifting toward ex-ante rulemaking and away from traditional after-the-fact enforcement. The DMA imposes a stringent regulatory regime on large online platforms (so-called “gatekeepers”) and gives the European Commission (Commission) new enforcement powers, including an ability to impose severe fines and remedies for noncompliance.
