The United States and European Union reach a data-sharing deal, privacy activists object

The United States and the European Union on July 10 reached an agreement that facilitates the legal transfer of personal data between the two authorities, according to BBC.

Earlier, two attempts to create a legal framework for US-EU data sharing were turned down in European courts over the privacy concern.

The new deal ensures that Meta (Facebook’s parent company), Google, and other tech giants can continue sharing European data with the US starting July 11.

Under the agreement, Europeans can object if they suspect their data has been collected by American intelligence, and a US-based Data Protection Review Court will be established to handle such claims.

The agreement also emphasises the collection of only “necessary and proportionate” data.

While EU officials and POTUS Joe Biden have welcomed the deal, a nonprofit organisation — None Of Your Business (NOYB), led by privacy activist Max Schrems, plans to challenge it, arguing that changes in US surveillance laws are necessary for it to be effective.

The EU has stringent privacy laws as compared to the US.

Mr. Schrems previously challenged Facebook’s storage of data, saying it violated his European privacy rights, and the European Union’s top court agreed.

Earlier in May, the EU had slapped a $1.3bn (£1bn) fine on Meta, directing the company to stop sending European users’ data to the US.

Meta warned that it would be forced to shut down its products and services in Europe without a legal outline for data transfers.