No GDPR Action Against Any Big Tech Firms Since Law Imposed Last Year, Doubts Escalate Over Enforcer

Last year Europe imposed GDPR, arguably the world's toughest standard for data privacy and now, a year later, there has yet to be any enforcement action against a big tech firm. Data-privacy experts and regulators are pointing their fingers at Ireland — the designated lead enforcer. In a Politico investigative report, Nicholas Vinocur writes: "Despite its vows to beef up its threadbare regulatory apparatus, Ireland has a long history of catering to the very companies it is supposed to oversee, having wooed top Silicon Valley firms to the Emerald Isle with promises of low taxes, open access to top officials, and help securing funds to build glittering new headquarters." Loopholes? Almost a year later, privacy experts, data watchdogs, academics and regulators in other countries are increasingly concerned that GDPR has significant loopholes.