The decision was made behind closed doors at the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), a body of data protection agencies from across Europe, at a plenary meeting in early December.
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According to sources from several agencies, the vetoed draft guidelines stated that public authorities using social media are, in most cases, “joint controllers” of user data, thereby sharing responsibility for any data protection failings of platforms such as X or Facebook.
This seemingly esoteric change would have had huge consequences. Although the guidelines are non-binding, they could have provided legal ammunition to anyone challenging public authorities – or even private companies in similar situations – over their social media use, said @maxschrems.bsky.social.
The rejection of the draft guidelines underscores that, nearly a decade after the EU passed its landmark General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), even the authorities responsible for enforcing it are at times hesitant to interpret the rules strictly.
A key voice in the decision was Wojciech Wiewiórowski, the European Data Protection Supervisor, who vetoed the draft guidelines alongside regulators from Italy and France. The guidelines have been sent back to the drawing board, and any attempt to redraft them could result in a much weaker version.
Why did the EU’s chief data watchdog vote against tough guidelines? After six years in office, Wiewiórowski is locked in a tough re-election battle, with the European Parliament and the European Council at odds over whether to re-appoint him.
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Wiewiórowski himself was unavailable for comment due to a medical condition, according to a spokesperson.
First published here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/throw-them-rope-von-der-leyen-wants-save-dying-industries-utiue/