Insights & News / Masha Yudashkin

The Privacy Protection Authority has issued a mandatory guideline holding the board of directors fully responsible for information security, with heavy fines for violations. The guideline requires the board to oversee compliance with regulations and develop organizational policies, particularly for entities processing sensitive personal data.

The recent reform of the Privacy Protection Law aligns Israel's privacy regulations more closely with European standards.

Until now, the HHS guidance provided a very broad interpretation of what constituted "protected health information" (PHI). This interpretation severely restricted data analytics service providers' ability to cater to hospitals and for hospitals to manage their digital assets, in addition to exposing them to class action lawsuits. A federal court's ruling to vacate the guidance is expected to facilitate both service providers and hospitals.

The Dutch Data Protection Authority strictly interprets GDPR regarding data scraping, stating that data scraping will almost always be illegal.

Developed for over two years, the American Privacy Rights Act proposes establishing a nationwide standard for privacy and data security, to empower individuals to control their personal information, as part of their right to privacy.

The French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) fined a corporation for violation of the GDPR due to flaws in its personal data collection and user consent practices, even though the data was collected by a third party.

The AI Act applies, similar to other European legislation, to companies not based in the European Union but have activity in the Union. Therefore, it may also affect Israeli companies offering services in Europe.

The court's decision to start enforcement proceedings, in addition to the provisions of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) already being enforced, is expected to lead to a significant increase in enforcement against companies that fall in the scope of the CCPA.

2023 trends are expected to continue in 2024, including the constantly evolving regulation of AI tools and new privacy protection and data security issues, as well as attempts by Israeli and global authorities to keep up with the pace at which technology is evolving and changing the face of the business world.

While AI tools offer significant contributions to businesses, even non-technological ones, it's crucial to understand the potential exposures these tools may present. This guide emphasizes the importance of conducting examinations and implementing AI tools in a legal and transparent manner.

The Regional Labor Court in Tel Aviv has recognized an employee’s resignation as tantamount to dismissal under the law due to the employer’s use of surveillance cameras around the employee’s workstation in a manner inconsistent with the Privacy Protection Authority’s guidelines and the court’s position in such matters.

The EU Data Act will supervise companies that manufacture and supply smart devices (IoT devices) and companies that handle data collected by these devices, as well as enact a series of regulations designed to protect consumer privacy.

A man who entered Israel with drugs in his possession sought to expose the Israel Police’s use of AI tools that resulted in his inclusion in a list of suspected drug couriers. The court’s criticism of the police’s tactics clarifies that even if the AI system leads to correct identification or to accurate decisions, its mechanisms must be transparent, explainable and auditable. 

The United States is looking to institute rules for the safe development and use of artificial intelligence, to regulate government use of AI, and to establish its leadership in the AI field.

The new UK Online Safety Act is part of a wave of European legislation seeking to protect children from online age-inappropriate content, exploitation, and other online dangers.

The state of emergency the State of Israel has declared in recent days requires us all to contend with a unique and complex situation. As part of this struggle, many companies and organizations have instructed their employees to shift to working from home, thus requiring such employers to clarify their privacy and business data protection procedures.

The Israeli Privacy Protection Authority recently published a draft directive that imposes the responsibility for fulfilling certain obligations on the board of directors, including the obligation to appoint an officer responsible for compliance with the Privacy Protection Regulations