Open Rights Group welcomes CJEU Safe Harbor ruling

Executive Director, Jim Killock said: 

“In the face of the Snowden revelations, it is clear that Safe Harbor is not worth the paper its written on. We need a new agreement that will protect EU citizens from mass surveillance by the NSA.”

Privacy activist Max Schrems initially brought a case against Facebook in Ireland, arguing that US companies were passing data to the NSA, and therefore violating his privacy. The Irish Data Protection Commissioner rejected the case on the grounds that the Safe Harbour agreement made provisions to protect the transfer of data. Schrems appealed the decision and today the CJEU found that Safe Harbor is invalid.

For interviews, contact: Pam Cowburn pam@openrightsgroup.org