Survey on the Economics on Personal Data on Mobile Apps Launched by France’s Privacy Watchdog

January 27th, 2023 | Posted by Claude-Etienne Armingaud in France | Privacy - (0 Comments)

This survey follows the CNIL’s announcement on 24 November 2022 that it aims at “better understanding the economic challenges associated with the collection and processing of personal data in mobile applications” as part of its 2022-2024 strategic plan.

The CNIL considered data collection via mobile applications greatly lacks transparency as opposed to cookies collection on websites.

The expected inputs are to be used for the purpose of drafting recommendations to be submitted to public consultation during the second semester of this year.

Concurrently to its ever-active enforcement of website cookie framework, the CNIL also recently started going after mobile applications for their use of personal data, often leverage as a primary source of revenue for free-to-play mobile games. The most recent example being the French mobile game publisher Voodoo SAS, with a fine of EUR3 million for breach of user consent for targeted ads on 29 December 2022. Indeed, the CNIL considered that even when users did not consent to the tracking for advertising purposes, Voodoo still accessed the IDFV (Apple’s “IDentifier For Vendors” (“IDFV”) – an identifier assigned to app operators, which facilitates targeted advertising) and processed browsing information for advertising purposes, constituting a violation of French privacy law and the GDPR.

The CNIL now calls for economic contributions from experts, interest groups, regulatory entities and experienced private individuals in the field. The call for contributions closes on 10 February 2023. Contributions can be submitted by completing a questionnaire and/or a written statement at the following email address: ecodesapplis@cnil.fr.

All contributions will be covered by professional secrecy and will be published in the form of a synthetic and aggregated report.

First publication on Cyber Law Watch with Camille Scarparo.

🇫🇷 Flottes connectees, reglementation et experiences reussies

October 27th, 2022 | Posted by Claude-Etienne Armingaud in Conference | Connected Cars | France | Privacy - (0 Comments)

Très heureux d’avoir accueilli ce matin en nos locaux GEOTAB pour la conférence « Flottes connectées, réglementation et expériences réussies », modérée par François Denis, Directeur Général France GEOTAB.

Claude-Etienne Armingaud, CIPP/E, associé Protection des données, nous a exposé les enjeux du droit des données à caractère personnel en lien avec les véhicules connectés.

Pascal Six, Business Development Manager, a retracé la manière dont GEOTAB a développé et continue d’adapter son offre, dans le respect des lois applicables en matière de protection des données à caractère personnel.

Pour terminer, Bertrand MATHIEU Directeur des Opérations VAC / Hardouin Loc, nous a fait part de son expérience client réussie avec GEOTAB.

Merci aux intervenants et participants !

🇺🇸 AntiCor France, Surmontez les defis du RGPD et des lois sur la protection de la vie privee dans le contexte de l’anti-corruption

October 10th, 2022 | Posted by Claude-Etienne Armingaud in Conference | Data Transfer | Europe | France | Privacy - (0 Comments)

Claude-Etienne, Armingaud, Associé
K&L Gates

Stéphane Bonifassi, Associé fondateur
Bonifassi Avocats

Les options d’examen et d’analyse assistées par la technologie sont de plus en plus utilisées dans les enquêtes internes et externes, notamment par les multinationales. L’utilisation de l’analyse des données peut apporter efficacité, précision et réduction des coûts. Cependant, le croisement entre le droit et la technologie soulève des préoccupations uniques en matière de protection de la vie privée et d’autres questions juridiques lors des enquêtes internes et externes : cette session permettra de vous mettre à niveau. Les sujets de discussion incluront :

  • Étudier la manière dont l’analyse des données et la découverte électronique peuvent aider les enquêtes multinationales.
  • Comprendre vos obligations selon la loi Schrems II, le RGPD et d’autres législations.
  • Apprendre les meilleures pratiques pour se conformer à ces obligations lors des enquêtes internes ou externes, de la diligence raisonnable et de la dénonciation des dysfonctionnements.
  • Comparer et intégrer des lignes directrices de la CNIL et du Conseil européen de la protection des données, entre autres.
  • Déterminer l’impact de la proposition de cadre transatlantique pour la protection des données sur votre pratique quotidienne.

Plus d’information

France: New Requirements Concerning the Sale of Digital Goods

July 21st, 2022 | Posted by Claude-Etienne Armingaud in eCommerce | France | internet | IT | Legislation - (0 Comments)

On 29 June 2022,  Decree n° 2022-946 (the “Decree”) supplemented the regulatory framework resulting from the Ordinance n° 2021-1247 of 29 September 2021 on the legal warranty of conformity for goods, digital content and digital services (the “Ordinance”). Stakeholders have under 1 October 2022 to implement the following measures, aiming at protecting consumers of digital goods.

1. General information about the Ordinance

Implementing two 2019 European directives on certain aspects of contracts for the supply of digital content and digital services and contracts for the sale of goods (respectively Directives (EU) 2019/770 and 2019/771 dated 20 May 2019), the Ordinance aimed to foster the safety of consumers when purchasing both physical and digital goods and, to a lesser extent, to reduce the environmental impact of digital goods.

This Ordinance amended the French Consumer Code in depth, notably by expanding the legal warranty of conformity, which now covers digital products and services but is also applicable to both B2C as well as B2B contracts, when the latter are executed between professionals and non-professionals (i.e. legal entities acting outside of their direct professional activities).

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GDPR: The Importance of Managing DSARs

June 22nd, 2022 | Posted by Claude-Etienne Armingaud in France | Privacy - (0 Comments)

Individuals having difficulties in obtaining responses to their personal data subject access requests (DSAR) from French telephone operator Free Mobile filed several complaints before the Frenchdata protection authority (CNIL). These requests related to accessing their personal data and objecting to receiving direct marketing messages by electronic means. After its investigations, the CNIL imposed a fine of €300,000 against Free Mobile on 28 December 2021.

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France: Influencers and Digital Advertising

June 9th, 2022 | Posted by Claude-Etienne Armingaud in France | Social Networks - (0 Comments)

Over the past decade, influence marketing has changed the way advertising is handled by companies. Influencers have entered the marketing world by leveraging massive followings on social media platforms, and brands have recognized the value of the new category of advertising professionals.

Even though the use of influencers has become a mainstay of advertising, French legislation has yet to meet this evolution, resulting in an often opaque legal framework.

The broad spread-out provisions applicable to influencers also generate difficulties in understanding influencers legal status, in particular when they are underage. This notably raises the question whether influencers are employees of the brands they advertise for—and therefore subject to labor law—or if they should be considered independent contractors, with their relationship with brands subject to commercial legislation.

Such opaque legal framework raises questions about the applicable regime, as well as the legal status of influencers. Even though there is no specific regime for influencers, recent legislation was adopted in order to protect children influencers (see our alert here).

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Legal 500 Rankings 2022 – Data Privacy and Data Protection – Tier 2 & Leading Individual – France

April 11th, 2022 | Posted by Claude-Etienne Armingaud in France | Privacy | Rankings - (0 Comments)

‘Specialist in new technologies’, K&L Gates LLP‘s team has an outstanding reputation for legal advice on innovative technologies and data-related concerns. Claude-Etienne Armingaud and Raphael Bloch are recognised as ‘exceptional lawyers who miss no details and who know their fields to perfection’. Claude-Etienne Armingaud has developed particular knowledge of multijurisdictional transactional matters dealing with IT outsourcing and data protection for blockchain and fintech, connected cars, and big data services.

Leading individuals: Claude-Etienne Armingaud – K&L Gates LLP

Practice head(s): Claude-Etienne Armingaud

Other key lawyers: Raphael Bloch

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Online Advertising — Where Are We Headed?

March 18th, 2022 | Posted by Claude-Etienne Armingaud in Conference | cookies | Europe | France | Privacy - (0 Comments)

Event: IAPP Data Protection Intensive: France

Date: 18 March 2022

Time: 8:00 AM ET

Location: Le Méridien Etoile, 81 Boulevard Gouvion Saint-Cyr 75848 Cedex 17, 75017 Paris

The dynamics in online advertising have always been head spinning — but the latest developments promise to go beyond. The slow death of third-party cookies is shaking up the industry and raises new questions privacy professionals have to grapple with. With the upcoming e-Privacy Regulation, a new law is taking shape. And to add even more complexity, French lawmakers are eager to push through a new privacy law for online marketing based on the old e-Privacy Directive. Hear from industry experts what to expect and how to navigate the uncertainties. This panel will also address cutting edge questions like cookie walls, nudging, or dark patterns.

French authority falls in line with ECJ position on general retention of metadata

March 16th, 2022 | Posted by Claude-Etienne Armingaud in France | Legislation | Press | Privacy - (0 Comments)

Quoted by Global Data Review:

Claude-Étienne Armingaud, a partner at K&L Gates in Paris, said the decision would have little impact in practice.

“The new sections adopted in July 2021 are implementing specific and targeted data retention requirements which should therefore comply with both the ECJ decisions and the Constitutional Council decision of today,” he said.

“So, if anything, it’s a tardy decision that was expected and confirmation that the Government did well to anticipate this.”

Read full article here.

The French Competition Authority Self-Referral for An Opinion on The Cloud-Computing Sector

February 21st, 2022 | Posted by Claude-Etienne Armingaud in Competition | France - (0 Comments)

During his January 2022 hearing before France’s National Assembly, the newly appointed chairman of the French competition authority (AdlC), Benoit Coeuré, stated that the digital sector would be one of the principal subject matters of his chairmanship (see press release here in English). 

His intention is to focus on “the emergence of new essential infrastructures such as cloud-computing” and that, in consequence, “it would be important and justified for the AdlC to rapidly undertake in-depth work on the consequences of cloud-computing in all sectors in conjunction with the relevant sectoral authorities.”

Pursuant to Article L. 462-4 of the French Commercial Code, the AdlC has therefore decided to conduct a wide analysis of the matter in order to assess the competitive situation of the cloud-computing ecosystem.

A BOOMING SECTOR

This opinion comes at a time when the cloud-computing market is booming at both the European and French level, with an average annual growth expected to exceed 25% over the next few years, with strong value-creation challenges for the economy, and allowing for a 2030 market prediction 10 times larger than in 2020.

Over the last few years, cloud computing has become a complex ecosystem of technologies, products, and services, giving rise to a wealthy economy where several cloud-computing service providers compete for an ever-increasing share of the service market. This peaking sector allows for more efficient ways of working, which has ended up being especially valuable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This “cloud boom” also serves as the backbone of a widespread digitalization of the economy, which is supported by the French government with its new national plan to support the French cloud industry.

THE NECESSITY FOR GLOBAL ANALYSIS 

The AdlC’s purpose to conduct a broad analysis of the cloud-computing sector is pushed by both a European and international dynamic.

In this regard, the AdlC intends to provide for a definition of the relevant markets in the sector. 

This commitment can be traced back to the European Commission’s (EU Commission) early analysis of the “IT outsourcing services” market encompassing the “public cloud computing services” as one of its sub-segments.1  Concurrently and from a transatlantic perspective, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission is also pushing forward with an antitrust scrutiny in the cloud-computing business. 

The AdlC intends to study the competitive dynamics of the sector and the presence of operators in the various segments of the value chain (including their contractual relations) in a context where multiple alliances and partnerships are concluded for the provision of cloud services. 

Should the AdlC identify potential improvements, proposals may be issued for the competitive functioning of the sector.
Taking into account the variety and complexity of the cloud-computing technologies involved, the AdlC announced that, for the first time, the investigation unit will comprise lawyers, economists, and data scientists notably from the newly created Digital Economy Department.

THE NEXT STEPS

A broad public consultation will be taking place in the next few months to gather comments and suggestions from the stakeholders. Comments are to be sent to the AdlC through the following email address: avis.cloud@autoritedelaconcurrence.fr. 

The final opinion is expected to be issued by the beginning of 2023.

The firm’s global competition and data protection team (including the competition team and data protection team in each of our European offices) remains available to assist you in achieving the compliance of your data and antitrust matters at global levels.

First publication: K&L Gates Hub with Camille Scarparo