WEEKLY PRIVACY UPDATE

EU Privacy Landscape Shifts as AI Act Takes Center Stage and Meta Faces Ad Tech Scrutiny

The proposed Artificial Intelligence Act and Meta's potential advertising technology shakeup have captured the attention of EU regulators, overshadowing the quietly implemented EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework. At the IAPP European Data Protection Congress in Brussels, representatives involved in the operationalisation of the DPF since its adoption in July expressed optimism about the framework's progress in balancing consumer and business interests. Among the recent achievements highlighted was the U.S. Department of Justice's November 14 announcement of the eight appointees to the independent Data Protection Review Court (DPRC). The DPRC is tasked with independently reviewing findings by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence's Civil Liberties Protection Officer on qualifying complaints filed by non-U.S. persons over potential privacy violations associated with U.S. signals intelligence activities. The DPRC appointees include James Baker, Rajesh De, James Dempsey, Mary DeRosa, Thomas Griffith, Eric Holder Jr., David Levi, and Virginia Seitz. Notably, the executive order for the DPF provides protections against removal of judges. As the EU navigates the evolving data privacy landscape, the AI Act and Meta's ad tech practices are likely to remain at the forefront of regulatory scrutiny.