Facebook, Google Must Obey EU Data-Protection Law, Reding Says

Source: Bloomberg News

Facebook Inc., the most-visited U.S. website, Google Inc. (GOOG) and other U.S.-based companies would have to comply with stricter data-protection rules being planned for the European Union, the region’s justice commissioner said.

Any company active in the 27-nation region or any Internet- based product targeted at European consumers “must comply with EU rules,” Viviane Reding said in a speech in Brussels today.

“Privacy standards for European citizens should apply independently of the area of the world in which their data is being processed,” said Reding. “A U.S.-based social network company that has millions of active users in Europe needs to comply with EU rules.”

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It should be up to companies to prove why they need to keep user data, such as search records, rather than Internet users having to prove why collecting their data isn’t justified, the commissioner said.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-16/facebook-google-must-obey-eu-data-protection-law-reding-says.html