EU Privacy Watchdogs Seek Assurances on US Data Transfer Pact (reuters.com)

European Union data privacy watchdogs will seek assurances from U.S. authorities that a move by U.S. President Donald Trump to crack down on illegal immigration will not undermine a transatlantic pact protecting the privacy of Europeans' data. From a report: European concerns have been raised by an executive order signed by Trump on Jan. 25 aiming to toughen enforcement of U.S. immigration law. The order directs U.S. agencies to "exclude persons who are not United States citizens or lawful permanent residents from the protections of the Privacy Act regarding personally identifiable information." The exemption of foreigners from the U.S. law governing how federal agencies collect and use information about people has stoked worries across the Atlantic about the new administration's approach to privacy and its impact on cross-border data flows.

Comments

Assurances from U.S. officials

[sasparillascott]

Because prior assurrances from U.S. officials, whether to foreign governments (Germany and spying on their Chancellor) or their own citizens, have turned out to be so trustworthy. Give me a break. E.U. officials should assume when it comes to privacy related commitments like this, they cannot trust anything the U.S. government says.

Re:Assurances from U.S. officials

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't think you understand. Europe has always been a great ally, our president is going there to have dinner with their Queen.

Then again I assume you're trolling because Chancellors are a Star Wars thing.

Re:Isn't that legislative?

[Jaime2]

They need assurances because the executive branch has a history of holding "unconventional interpretations" of our own laws, then avoiding judicial oversight by slapping gag orders on all potential defendants so no one has standing in court. The also invented a parallel court system for these cases, where no judge ever says no to anything.

Then they're shocked when one or two operatives grow a conscience and find a way to shine a light on the situation - so they pursue them to the ends of the earth and threaten them with the death penalty.

Re:Isn't that legislative?

[AHuxley]

Re citizenship in different parts of the EU is not that difficult to understand...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
has a nice list of what asylum laws offer, years of residence, what is on offer for refugees and stateless persons or the need to take some integration course.
That an interesting person can turn up in some EU nation, get some new EU nations travel document years later and attempt to enter the USA on that new passport is not unexpected.
To counter such nation shopping by interesting people, the US has to be sure of who is trying to enter from any EU nation.
The origins of the Safe Harbour directives back in the 1980-90's should not now work as a cover for people who are of interest to the US gov.