Grumpy EU ministers agree shaky pact on new data protection law

EU states' justice ministers seemed to be competing to sound the most disappointed as they grudgingly agreed to move forward on a new data protection law. Although a compromise general approach was reached, most countries found fault with the text of the proposed General Data Protection Regulation – quite a feat considering …

[Anonymous Coward]

“legitimate interest” = money in it for them

What could be less ambiguous than that?

[Graham Marsden]

@AC

I was just thinking the same thing.

It's in the business' “legitimate interest” to make profits. Whether them selling our data or doing anything else with it is in *our* “legitimate interest” is another matter entirely...

[Anonymous Coward]

Or say detecting fraud and money laundering. Identifying common flaws in user interfaces. Public health threats. Legitimate interest actually key to many much touted solutions that work for the common good.

[Trigonoceps occipitalis]

Now there's a person with nothing to hide.

Thinks he has nothing to fear too.

[Intractable Potsherd]

How hard would it be ...

... to say that all data about an individual belongs to that individual, and use (defined as analysis and action based upon it) of that data can only be done:

a) Where the individual gives full and free informed consent

b) Where primary legislation allows for it (primary legislation so that it is debated openly in the legislature) or

c) Where a warrant obtained from one - or some situations, more than one - judge?

Seems straight-forward to me - just needs some moral backbone from our supposed representatives (OK, so the Council of Ministers here consists of each Member State's Minister for the Home or Justice Department, meaning that the likes of Twathead May are there, so the current "compromise" is completely expected). The European Parliament, though, are starting to realise that they do have real power, so maybe we can pin our hopes on them.

[Graham Cobb]

Profiling

What does "a balanced view on profiling" mean?

It is my profile, so I get to decide whether or not you can create it and what you can do with it. Just me. Fully. No balance involved.

Of course, you are welcome to show me the wonderful benefits you can provide if I choose to give you certain capabilities to profile me. Just as you would if you were asking for money instead. I decide if that is worth it to me. That is how balance works. Not in the regulations.