(September 2, 2021) – Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA) President and CEO Jeff Joseph issued the following statement today regarding the WhatsApp ruling:
“We are troubled by today’s decision by the Irish Data Protection Commission to increase its fine of WhatsApp more than four-fold to €225 million for transparency violations. It is one thing to punish companies for violating the law; SIIA and our members support reasonable, balanced measures to protect data privacy. Today’s fine, however, is ridiculously punitive and demonstrates some of the severe flaws in GDPR. The European Data Protection Board actions directed Ireland to increase the fine to make an example of the company and flout basic concepts of impartial justice. As the U.S. moves to develop a uniform federal privacy law must not similarly seek to use data privacy policy as some sort of Trojan Horse to fund the government.
About SIIA:
SIIA is the only professional organization connecting more than 450 data, financial information, education technology, specialized content and publishing, and health technology companies. Our diverse members manage the global financial markets, develop software that solves today’s challenges through technology, provide critical information that helps inform global businesses large and small, and innovate for better health care and personal wellness outcomes – they drive innovation and growth. For more information, visit www.siia.net.
