The Dutch government has fully prohibited Kyndryl, a US-based IT infrastructure company spun out of IBM in 2021, from acquiring Solvinity, a prominent Dutch cloud provider. The acquisition, valued at around €100 million, would have transferred control of the platform operating DigiD, the Netherlands’ national digital identity system, to a company headquartered in the United States. This move underscores the government's priority to maintain domestic oversight over critical digital infrastructure.
DataGrail's latest Privacy and AI Trends Report 2026 highlights a critical issue in vendor data handling agreements. Their research found that 63.6% of AI-capable vendors do not disclose third-party AI subprocessors in their data processing agreements (DPAs). This means many companies may unknowingly have their customer data exposed to AI models not reviewed or approved by them. The report's insights stem from cross-referencing vendor contracts with product documentation, GitHub repositories, and API connections, pointing to a significant transparency gap. This raises concerns about privacy risks, regulatory compliance, and the potential consequences of undisclosed AI use, including processing sensitive personal information and automated decision-making. The study also notes that privacy teams are shrinking despite growing AI governance demands, with state privacy enforcement fines reaching $3.4 billion in 2025. DataGrail positions its AI agent, Vera, as a solution to automate privacy assessments amid these challenges. The findings paint a complex landscape where traditional contracts fail to keep pace with rapid AI advancements, urging organizations to rethink their data privacy and vendor management strategies as autonomous AI agents become more common.
A security vulnerability in a third-party website used for UK visa applications exposed sensitive information including passports, selfies, and location data of numerous applicants. Rather than addressing the data breach, the website responded by sending legal representatives to confront those who reported the issue.
CNN has initiated legal action against Perplexity AI, accusing the company of illegally using more than 17,000 pieces of CNN’s copyrighted content, including stories, videos, and images, without authorization. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in New York, also claims that Perplexity misused CNN’s trademarks by implying an unauthorized partnership. Earlier negotiations for a content-sharing agreement between CNN and Perplexity fell apart, after which CNN blocked Perplexity’s AI from accessing its content. Despite a formal demand to stop unauthorized use, Perplexity is alleged to have continued exploiting CNN’s work, prompting CNN to seek damages and profits.
The Chinese e-commerce platform Temu has been fined €200 million by the European Union for inadequate measures to stop the sale of illegal goods. Temu is the second company to be penalized under the Digital Services Act, following Elon Musk’s X platform, which faced a fine late last year.
Susan Doris-Obando provides an in-depth look at the approaching implementation deadline of the EU Pay Transparency Directive, highlighting the potential challenges and opportunities it presents for professionals navigating these changes.
Illinois lawmakers have approved a groundbreaking AI safety bill mandating companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google to engage independent auditors to verify their adherence to established safety protocols. Governor JB Pritzker has announced his intent to sign the legislation into law.
A prominent privacy advocate in the Senate has called for increased scrutiny of the advertising technology sector, highlighting recent incidents where US troops were allegedly targeted using location data. The lawmaker emphasized the urgent need to recognize and address the adtech industry's potential threats to national security.
The Delhi High Court has determined that Google infringed on trademark rights by permitting rivals to bid on the 'Hindware' brand name as an advertising keyword. This ruling clarified that Google's usual safe-harbor protections do not extend to this practice. The decision challenges the common notion in search advertising that platforms can auction off any term, including protected brand names, without legal consequences.
Australia’s Fair Work Commission has reported a significant 70% rise in its workload over the past three years, a change partly attributed to the growing use of generative AI tools. The commission, which addresses issues like unfair dismissal, wage disputes, workplace bullying, discrimination, and sexual harassment, announced it will review its procedures to manage the increased demands effectively.
