REGULATORY WATCH

Privacy, AI governance and data protection developments across the US and the EU, from regulators, legislatures and courts.

⚖️ Latest developments 🌐 Jurisdictions 📚 Law library
159
Last 30 days
24
High or critical
30
Enforcement actions
72
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Topic: consent · clear
175 developments
Low Enforcement Filed Austria · May 5, 2026
LinkedIn blocks GDPR access to profile visitor data behind paywall, noyb files complaint in Austria
LinkedIn requires users to pay to view who has visited their profile, despite the data being personal under the GDPR. noyb argues the data must be provided free of charge under Article 15 and has lodged a complaint with the Austrian Data…
Austrian Data Protection Authority · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Fine In effect France · Mar 13, 2026
French court upholds €40M GDPR fine against Criteo
The French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) fined Criteo €40 million for GDPR violations, including lack of valid consent, transparency, and failures to honor erasure and access rights. In March 2026, the Conseil d’État rejected Criteo’s…
CNIL · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Proposed regulation Published European Union · Mar 5, 2026
EU Commission's Digital Omnibus proposal to limit GDPR Right of Access faces criticism from DPOs
The European Commission has published a Digital Omnibus proposal that would narrow the definition of personal data, restrict the Right of Access and allow broader AI training. A survey by noyb shows data protection officers consider the…
European Commission · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Proposed regulation Proposed European Union · Feb 24, 2026
EU Commission proposes Digital Omnibus to amend GDPR and ePrivacy Directive
The European Commission published its Digital Omnibus proposal on 19 November 2025, aiming to amend the GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive. noyb’s analysis warns that the proposed changes could conflict with the EU Charter of Fundamental…
European Commission · ePrivacy Directive
Moderate Lawsuit filed Filed European Union · Jan 28, 2026
noyb debunks 5 GDPR misconceptions on Data Protection Day
The article clarifies that the GDPR does not mandate cookie banners, that DPAs rarely impose fines, and that companies must obtain explicit consent for tracking. It also explains the limited scope of the right of access and counters claims…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Low Lawsuit filed Filed Germany · Jan 28, 2026
noyb files lawsuit against Hamburg DPA over Pay or Okay case involving SPIEGEL
In 2024, privacy advocacy group noyb sued the Hamburg Data Protection Authority concerning a Pay or Okay implementation dispute with the German news magazine SPIEGEL. The case highlights concerns about DPA impartiality and enforcement…
Hamburg Data Protection Authority · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Data protection authority action Decided Austria · Jan 27, 2026
Austrian DSB orders Microsoft to stop tracking school children with cookies
The Austrian Data Protection Authority ruled that Microsoft illegally installed tracking cookies on a pupil's device without consent. The authority ordered Microsoft to cease the use of those cookies within four weeks. The decision follows…
Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Court ruling Decided Austria · Dec 18, 2025 · deadline Dec 31, 2025
Austrian Supreme Court orders Meta to give users full data access within 14 days
The Austrian Supreme Court ruled that Meta must provide a complete copy of all personal data to any user request within 14 days, including source, recipient and purpose information. The court also required Meta to obtain explicit opt‑in…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Low Enforcement Filed Austria · Dec 17, 2025
noyb files complaints against TikTok, AppsFlyer and Grindr with Austrian DSB over unlawful tracking
noyb has lodged two complaints with Austria's data protection authority alleging that TikTok tracks users across other apps and fails to provide a complete copy of personal data. The complaints also target AppsFlyer and Grindr for sharing…
Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Low Guidance Published European Union · Dec 4, 2025
EDPB publishes first opinion on Pay or Okay, urging a three‑option consent model
In April 2024 the European Data Protection Board released its first opinion on Pay or Okay systems, recommending a third choice of "advertising, but no tracking" alongside pay and consent options. A noyb‑commissioned study shows that users…
European Data Protection Board
Moderate Fine In effect France · Nov 27, 2025
CNIL fines Conde Nast €750,000 for cookie consent violations
The French data protection authority CNIL fined Conde Nast €750,000 for placing cookies on its Vanity Fair website without obtaining valid user consent. The authority also found the publisher failed to adequately inform users about the…
CNIL
Moderate Proposed regulation Proposed European Union · Nov 11, 2025
Open letter warns EU Commission's Digital Omnibus draft could deregulate GDPR
Noyb, EDRi and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties sent an open letter to the European Commission criticizing a draft Digital Omnibus that would amend core GDPR provisions. The draft proposes redefining personal data, weakening data…
European Commission · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Data protection authority action Decided Austria · Oct 9, 2025
Austrian DSB rules Microsoft 365 Education illegally tracks students and orders data deletion
The Austrian Data Protection Authority found Microsoft 365 Education used tracking cookies without consent and denied a data‑access request, violating GDPR. The DSB ordered Microsoft to delete the data, provide full access, and disclose…
Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Data protection authority action Published Austria · Sep 26, 2025
Austrian DSB bans KSV1870 from automated credit checks without consent
The Austrian Data Protection Authority ruled that KSV1870's fully automated credit rating was unlawful and prohibited the agency from conducting such checks without the data subject's consent. The authority also ordered KSV1870 to provide…
Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Low Investigation Announced Austria · Sep 25, 2025
noyb uncovers over 40,000 CRIF credit queries linking Austrian banks, telecoms and retailers
noyb obtained data requests from 2,440 individuals and analyzed more than 40,000 CRIF credit queries, finding that banks, telecoms and other firms provide personal address data to the credit agency. The analysis shows gender and geographic…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Data protection authority action Announced Ireland · Sep 18, 2025
Former Meta lobbyist Niamh Sweeney appointed Irish DPC commissioner
Niamh Sweeney, a former senior Meta lobbyist, is set to join the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) as a commissioner in October. The DPC is the EU lead privacy regulator for major US tech firms. The appointment raises concerns about…
Irish Data Protection Commission · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Fine In effect France · Sep 4, 2025
CNIL fines Google €325 million for unsolicited Gmail advertising
The French data protection authority CNIL has issued a decision siding with privacy NGO noyb and fined Google €325 million for sending unsolicited advertising emails to Gmail users without consent. The authority also ordered Google to stop…
CNIL · ePrivacy Directive
Moderate Court ruling Decided Austria · Aug 18, 2025
Austrian Federal Administrative Court rules DerStandard's "pay or okay" consent model illegal
The Austrian Federal Administrative Court (BVwG) confirmed the Data Protection Authority's finding that DerStandard violated the GDPR by offering a "pay or okay" choice. The court held that the newspaper did not obtain valid, granular…
Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Low Enforcement Announced Germany · Aug 7, 2025
noyb sends cease‑and‑desist to Meta over AI training of EU users’ data
noyb commissioned a Gallup survey of 1,000 German Meta users, finding only 7% want their personal data used for AI training. Based on the results, noyb sent a cease‑and‑desist letter to Meta alleging GDPR violations and is assessing a…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Court ruling Decided European Union · Jul 31, 2025
CJEU ruling C‑446/21 limits use of personal data for online advertising and repurposing publicly available data
The European Court of Justice issued ruling C‑446/21, fully backing a lawsuit against Meta's Facebook service. The court massively limits the use of personal data for online advertising and restricts the reuse of publicly available…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
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Coming up
Oct 2026
19
FCC proposes to modify system of records for National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program
United States (federal) · effective
Oct 2026
19
FCC modifies Lifeline Program system of records (FCC/WCB-1) under the Privacy Act
United States (federal) · effective
Oct 2026
26
Peace Corps announces new CRM system of records (PC 38) effective Oct 26, 2026
United States (federal) · effective
Oct 2026
28
HHS modifies ORR Unaccompanied Children system of records, effective Oct 28, 2026
United States (federal) · effective
Oct 2026
29
Italian Garante's tracking-pixel guidelines become effective Oct 29, 2026
Italy · effective
Oct 2026
29
Italian Garante's tracking-pixel guidelines become effective Oct 29, 2026
Italy · compliance deadline
Nov 2026
2
DOI establishes new matching program under Privacy Act of 1974
United States (federal) · effective
Nov 2026
5
Treasury exempts new tip intake records from certain Privacy Act provisions
United States (federal) · effective
Nov 2026
6
Treasury proposes new system of records for federal student aid data
United States (federal) · effective
Nov 2026
16
NARA proposes revisions to System of Records NARA 44 for reasonable accommodation requests
United States (federal) · effective
Nov 2026
24
Farm Credit Administration amends employee payroll system of records under Privacy Act, effective Nov 24, 2026
United States (federal) · effective
Dec 2026
20
AEPD launches call for articles for third issue of Revista PIT on GDPR and emerging regulations
Spain · compliance deadline
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privacy · 113security · 67ai governance · 53transparency · 34data minimization · 31children · 28profiling · 27automated decision making · 26consent · 21targeted advertising · 19access · 17data governance · 16