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
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Topic: ai governance · clear
15 developments
Low Court ruling Decided New York · Oct 15, 2026
Southern District of New York denies government motion to dismiss lawsuit over Trump admin social media surveillance of noncitizens
A federal district court rejected the government’s arguments that immigration law bars the case and that the unions lack standing, allowing the lawsuit to proceed. The court found that the surveillance program causes concrete injuries…
Immigration and Nationality Act
Low Court ruling Decided United States (federal) · Oct 14, 2026
Court allows lawsuit against government surveillance program "Catch and Revoke" to proceed
A court issued a ruling permitting the EFF‑led lawsuit challenging the "Catch and Revoke" mass surveillance program to move forward. The program is alleged to use AI to suppress protected speech online. The decision is viewed as a win for…
Low Lawsuit filed Filed United States (federal) · Oct 2, 2026
EPIC files amicus brief challenging Spirit Airlines' bankruptcy sale of employee data to Google
EPIC and Professor Seema Patel submitted an amicus brief in a bankruptcy case to contest Spirit Airlines' proposed $10 million sale of employee data to Google for AI training. The brief argues the sale lacks adequate privacy protections…
Low Court ruling Decided New York · Oct 2, 2026
Federal judge rejects motion to dismiss social media surveillance lawsuit against Trump administration
A U.S. District Court in New York denied the government’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by three labor unions alleging viewpoint‑based social media surveillance of noncitizens. The case, filed in October 2025, targets the Departments…
Administrative Procedure Act
Low Court ruling Decided United States (federal) · Sep 16, 2026
Ninth Circuit rejects expansive DMCA copyright claim over AI‑generated code
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that the removal of copyright management information (CMI) from a newly created work does not itself violate DMCA Section 1202. The case involved OpenAI and Microsoft using GitHub code…
Digital Millennium Copyright Act
Moderate Lawsuit filed Filed United States (federal) · Sep 8, 2026
EFF releases 1,000 pages of CMS records on AI-driven Medicare WISeR prior‑authorization program
EFF obtained about 1,000 pages of CMS documents through its FOIA lawsuit filed in March, revealing delays, denials, and financial incentives in the WISeR AI model. The records show requests sometimes waited up to 83 days and vendors denied…
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Low Court ruling Decided United States (federal) · Sep 2, 2026
Federal judge rules DoD illegally retaliated against Anthropic for refusing mass surveillance use
Anthropic sued the Department of Defense after being labeled a “supply chain risk” for refusing to let its AI be used for mass surveillance of U.S. persons. A federal judge held that the designation was unlawful retaliation in violation of…
First Amendment
Low Lawsuit filed Pending United States (federal) · Aug 31, 2026
EFF urges courts to resist AI-driven copyright expansions in ongoing litigation
The EFF argues that courts should not broaden copyright protections in response to generative AI, citing historical parallels with VTR technology. It references ongoing cases such as Concord Music Group, Inc. v. Anthropic PBC and In re…
Low Court ruling Decided United States (federal) · Aug 4, 2026
Ninth Circuit rules Perplexity AI’s Comet browser not liable under CFAA
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that Perplexity AI’s Comet browser does not violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act because the tool itself does not access Amazon’s servers; users do. The court rejected Amazon’s claim that…
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
Moderate Court ruling Decided United States (federal) · Jun 29, 2026
US Supreme Court decision undermines EU‑US Data Privacy Framework
The US Supreme Court ruled in Trump v. Slaughter that the FTC cannot be an independent agency. The decision calls into question the independence requirement for the EU‑US Data Privacy Framework, effectively collapsing the adequacy…
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
Moderate Court ruling Decided Germany · May 23, 2025
German Higher Regional Court denies interim injunction against Meta AI training
The Higher Regional Court of Cologne refused the interim injunction sought by Verbraucherzentrale NRW, which alleged Meta's AI training violates the GDPR by using user data without consent. The court's decision is limited to the interim…
Hamburg Data Protection Authority · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Court ruling Decided Ireland · Jan 29, 2025
EU General Court rules Irish DPC acted unlawfully for refusing to investigate noyb complaint
The EU General Court held that the Irish Data Protection Commission unlawfully refused to investigate a complaint filed by noyb. The court dismissed the DPC's claims against the European Data Protection Board. The case can now be appealed…
Irish Data Protection Commission · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Court ruling Published European Union · Oct 13, 2022
CJEU Advocate General opinion may limit GDPR non‑material damages compensation
The Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the EU issued an opinion that could restrict the right to claim non‑material damages under the GDPR. The opinion questions whether Article 82 allows damages without material loss and suggests…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Court ruling Decided European Union · Jun 24, 2021
European Court of Justice invalidated Privacy Shield in July 2020
The European Court of Justice ruled that the EU‑US Privacy Shield framework is invalid, affecting cross‑border data transfers. The decision was highlighted in noyb’s 2020 Annual Report.
Privacy Shield
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
By jurisdiction
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Topics this month
privacy · 113security · 67ai governance · 53transparency · 34data minimization · 31children · 28profiling · 27automated decision making · 26consent · 21targeted advertising · 19access · 17data governance · 16