European data regulators have stepped up their efforts to protect data following reports of ChatGPT’s violation of the General Data Protection Regulation. Last month, Italian authorities issued an order that temporarily prevented Italian users from using the chatbot, and now are requiring OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, to meet a set of compliance demands imposed by the Italian data protection authority. In addition, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has launched a task force to foster cooperation and share information between EU countries on how to enforce data protection.
The dispute over data handling has now reached the United States, where lawmakers are working on potentially banning the Chinese-owned video streaming platform TikTok. In February, Montana proposed a bill to block the app and it recently cleared a hurdle by the State Senate. Currently, the House is due to vote this week and, according to insiders, there is a great chance it will pass. In response to the bill, a fierce lobbying battle has broken out, with TikTok supporters protesting against it and the tech giant personally encouraging people to reach out to Montana’s governor. Even though a federal ban seems far-fetched due to the resistance it is facing and potential legal obstacles, the situation in Montana might give a glimpse of what is to come in the near future.
Furthermore, the recent news about an airman from the US Air National Guard leaking sensitive Pentagon intelligence prompted the US Department of Defense (DoD) to issue a memorandum reminding personnel of the importance of safeguarding classified data. This situation has raised conversations about the huge number of US citizens that have access to top-secret information and the need of further regulating it.
On the other hand, a new advocacy group has recently been created in the US with the goal of providing protection to white-hat hackers. This group, called the Hacking Policy Council, aims to ensure that ethical hackers will not face criminal prosecution for taking actions to report and solve digital network vulnerabilities. Ilona Cohen, chief legal and chief policy council of HackerOne, stated that this is the first organization solely committed to defending cybersecurity researchers.
In conclusion, these recent developments have demonstrated the need of further regulating data handling, the potential dangers of not having proper control over the accessing of confidential information, and the value of initiatives to protect ethical hackers.
