Roundup – China plans national bureau to manage data; UK modifies GDPR data rules

China to form a national bureau to manage its troves of data

According to a plan submitted on Tuesday to parliament, China will form its own national data bureau that will be responsible for coordinating the sharing and development of the country’s data resources. The proposed bureau will be administrated by the state planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission. Specific functions of the NDRC and the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, which oversees China’s internet, will be transferred to the new bureau. Tasks are said to include promoting smart cities and the exchange of information resources across industries.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2023-03-07/china-to-form-a-national-data-bureau

Twitter’s lead EU regulator uneasy over blue tick roll-out

Twitter went ahead and launched its Twitter Blue subscription service in the region without consulting the social medias lead European Union privacy regulator Helen Dixon, despite a pledge to do so. In recent days Twitter has made the service available in several EU markets, offering the blue tick to anyone prepared to pay.

Dixon said the service raised privacy issues around verification of accounts to prevent users posing as public figures, and while no formal inquiry has been launched, she said “we’re at a heightened state of contact with Twitter.”

The social media giant now has a “very strong” data protection officer, she said, “but beyond the data protection office, there are clearly other forces at play.”

https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/twitters-lead-eu-regulator-concerned-over-blue-tick-roll-out-372476-2023-03-07

Britain draws up new data rules to ease compliance

The country intends to reform its data protection law in a bid to ease the compliance barriers for businesses while staying in line with the European Union. Currently, Britain’s data rules mirror the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), however the country said it wants to change its regime to make life easier for businesses to follow. It also hopes to cut the number of repetitive cookie pop-ups that users encounter online. The government will offer a modified Data Protection and Digital Information Bill back to parliament after its earlier proposals were put on hold in September for further consultation. The changes will be limited in scope to ensure that the EU keep information flowing.

https://www.lse.co.uk/news/britain-plans-new-data-rules-to-ease-compliance-burden-11de8e1d6hh8x8g.html

India’s money laundering rules to apply to cryptocurrencies

The Indian federal government has said that the exchange between virtual digital assets and fiat currencies – the exchange between one or more forms of virtual digital assets and the transfer of digital assets – will be covered under money laundering laws. In a government notification it also added that the safekeeping or administration of virtual digital assets and the participation in financial services related to the offer and sale of virtual digital assets will also be covered. Reports suggest that by extending India’s money laundering rules to cryptocurrencies authorities will hold greater power in monitoring the transfer of these assets beyond the country’s borders.

https://www.usnews.com/news/technology/articles/2023-03-08/indias-money-laundering-rules-to-apply-to-crypto-trade-govt-notification