Governor JB Pritzker will sign an executive order prohibiting the mass collection and sharing of Illinois residents’ autism-related data. This action directly counters recent statements by the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary advocating for extensive research into autism’s causes, including exploring environmental factors. The order mandates that state agencies and their contractors can only collect or disclose such data when legally required for care, compliance, or program eligibility, prioritizing data privacy and anonymization. Illinois will be the first state to enact such protective measures, prioritizing the dignity and rights of individuals with autism.
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Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) levied a €530 million fine against TikTok for violating the GDPR by transferring European user data to China. The DPC cited TikTok’s failure to ensure equivalent data protection in China as the reason for the infringement, specifically highlighting concerns regarding potential access by Chinese authorities. TikTok was given six months to comply with the order, facing a suspension of data transfers to China if it fails to do so. The fine follows TikTok’s admission of inaccurate information regarding data storage in China.
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The German ministry’s assertion that the Trump White House is jeopardizing the EU-US data deal stems from a fundamental lack of trust in the US government’s ability and willingness to protect European data. The perception is that any data sent to the US, regardless of safeguards, is ultimately vulnerable. This deep-seated distrust isn’t solely based on current events; it’s rooted in a history of perceived inadequacies and past failures in data protection.
The repeated invalidation of previous data transfer agreements by the European Court of Justice only reinforces these concerns. Cosmetic changes and renaming exercises haven’t addressed the underlying issues of inadequate data protection, leading to a sense that the agreements are inherently flawed and unreliable.… Continue reading
Ticketmaster confirms data hack which could affect 560m globally. The mere thought of my private information being out there for cyber-criminals to exploit is unnerving. Ticketmaster, a platform many of us have used to purchase tickets for live events, has fallen victim to a data breach. Our personal data, possibly including payment details, has been compromised. The sheer scale of this breach, affecting millions of individuals worldwide, is alarming. It begs the question: who can we trust with our data anymore?
It is frustrating to see companies like Ticketmaster, who already charge exorbitant service fees for every transaction, skimping on security measures.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood