The European Connected Health Alliance (ECHAlliance) has just launched the "Ukraine Health Connector" to promote actions related to digital health that support Ukraine, Ukrainian companies and/or Ukrainian refugees. Here is the statement from Brian O'Connor, ECHAlliance's chair, about the initiative.

Greenwash and Greenwashing: A look at the claims of government and big business showing how they manipulate the truth and mislead us with false and unverifiable claims.

The Commission has now published the Data Act (and the Chips Act) for public consultation - Deadline is 9 May 2022.

This initiative, known as the ‘Data Act’, aims to facilitate access to and use of data, including business-to business and business-to-government, and to review the rules on the legal protection of databases. It seeks the right balance between rights to access data and incentives to invest in data, without changing the current data protection rules.

All interested in writing a response are welcome to join a MyData statement!

The MyData Operator Award recognises personal data companies that have shown leadership by empowering individuals to control their personal data. As promoted by the European Commission, putting people in the centre of digital transformations is needed for a safe and sustainable digital future. Further, boosting data sharing and ensuring its trustworthiness is critical to reaping the benefits of our digitised lives. Organisations awarded with the MyData Operator Award are vital enablers for such a vision, providing value for companies and individuals alike.

The OECD Committee on Digital Economy Policy decided to conduct further work and examine the possibility of developing, as a matter of priority, high-level policy guidance for government access to personal data held by the private sector. On 22 December 2020, it issued a statement that reflects its views and concerns related to this issue, and plans for the near future. Read more about OECDs work on the digital economy here.

In 2021 the European Commission announced the European digital identity wallet. This article explains the basic concepts, highlights the significance of this development and provides an overview of the status quo.

The South Wales Police department is preparing to resume its use of live facial recognition technology. The department first started trialing face-based surveillance tech in 2017, but pulled back in 2020 after the British Court of Appeal ruled that the South Wales system violated human rights laws on several fronts.

However, that has not deterred the South Wales Police. The department is essentially viewing its defeat as part of the learning process, and claims that it has been able to use the Court’s feedback to develop a surveillance system that will meet a stricter legal standard.