Transparency matters: WhatsApp fined EUR 225 million for violating transparency obligations under the GDPR

On 2nd September 2021 the Irish Data Protection Commission (”DPC”) imposed its biggest fine to date on WhatsApp, the messaging app owned by Facebook. In its reasoning (available here) the DPC considered both: the information provided by WhatsApp to its users, and perhaps more importantly  the lack of information provided to non-users.  Namely, it was…

South Korea: first country to pass a bill limiting Apple and Google’s control over app store payments

South Korea’s parliament has approved on the 31st of August 2021 a bill that prohibits Apple and Google from forcing app developers to only use their proprietary billing systems. The bill is an amendment to South Korea’s Telecommunications Business Act.  This decision will allow app developers to avoid paying 15 to 30% commission on every…