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back to article German watchdog tells firms to do own US privacy checks

German privacy watchdogs have told companies to conduct their own checks of US companies' conduct before passing personal data to them, even if they are signed up to the EU-US 'Safe Harbor' data protection scheme. The Düsseldorfer Kreis is an informal group of Germany's private sector data protection watchdogs. It has said …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Have the tee-shirt

    Yep. An Insurance Broker that I worked for previously shipped its personnel database to the USA, it didn't claim safe harbour or even have it (I checked). I actually complained to the ICO, and was told by someone on the other end of the phone that it wasn't my problem and to "go away".

    Sometimes we really need Europe to pounce on these offenders.

    No pithy comment because I'm not in a pithy mood.

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  2. Jake Rialto 1
    Welcome

    Clauses...not the Santa kind.

    Just because they say they are great, doesn't mean that they are. Validation of a third parties controls is critical, regardless of whatever bits of paper they have.

    On a side note, just where are these model contract clauses located, and why don't they do more to publicise them?

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  3. I didn't do IT.
    Happy

    Two Sentence Privacy Policy

    "We will not give your data to any other individual or legal entity for any reason. Ever."

    I think that would work rather well, eh?

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    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      all very well

      Until you are given a court order, or asked by the inland revenue to prove you don't owe them several million in tax. Or hire a contractor, you know that temp who types up your customer letters for you, that works for another company?

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  4. MinionZero
    WTF?

    Huh?! WTF?!

    @"companies are not allowed to send personal data to countries outside the European Economic Area unless there is a guarantee that it will be protected as well there as it is in the EU."

    What like data protected as well as in the UK!

    I don't know if I should laugh or cry!

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  5. Anonymous Coward
    Gates Horns

    A lot more needed

    What about the contract information of all the clients of the European subsidiaries of the US company I work for? The contracts database is in the US.

    European CFO: "I can't sign up any more contracts until you have demonstrated your compliance."

    Merkin CFO: "Did I mishear or did you just quit?"

    European CFO: "Never mind!"

    Bad Gates as no Bad Uncle Sam icon.

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