Safe Harbour: Data protection commissioner to investigate Facebook practices

Safe Harbour: Data protection commissioner to investigate Facebook practices

The Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) will investigate Facebook’s European privacy practices following a ruling by the High Court in Dublin.

The commissioner, Helen Dixon, had originally refused to investigate 22 complaints filed by 28-year old Max Schrems, an Austrian law student and privacy activist.

However, Judge Gerard Hogan ruled her decision was based on the Safe Harbour agreement between the European Union and the United States, which was declared invalid by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) earlier this month.

The commissioner has now been ordered to carry out a full investigation of complaints that, in the wake of Edward Snowden’s revelations concerning the activities of US spy agencies, there is no real protection against surveillance by the US of the data transferred to that country.

Mr Schrems was awarded costs for his legal bill and travel expenses.

In a statement yesterday, the commissioner said: “I welcome today’s ruling from Judge Hogan which brings these proceedings to a conclusion. My Office will now proceed to investigate the substance of the complaint with all due diligence.”

A spokesperson for Facebook added: “We will respond to inquiries from the Irish Data Protection Commission as they examine the protections for the transfer of personal data under applicable law.”

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