Irish court hears Facebook data privacy challenge

Following the ECJ ruling in Case C-362/14 Maximillian Schrems v Data Protection Commissioner on the 6 October 2015, the High Court in Ireland ordered on the 20 October 2015 Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner to investigate the substance of the complaint brought by Max Schrems against Facebook with all due diligence [2013/765 JR].

In May 2016 the Irish Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) announced that was planning to refer to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) to determine if Facebook could continue to transfer data from the EU to the US after the invalidation of the 'Safe Harbor' system by the ECJ in October 2015.

In June 2016 Europe v Facebook announced that it had learn that theUnited States government had asked the Irish High Court to be allowed to be a party in the case as it wanted to defend its surveillance laws before the European Courts.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Judgment in Case C-362/14 Maximillian Schrems v Data Protection Commissioner http://www.europeansources.info/record/judgment-in-case-c-362-14-maximillian-schrems-v-data-protection-commissioner/

EUObserver, 21.10.15: Irish court orders probe into Facebook privacy case https://euobserver.com/justice/130773

Ireland: Data Protection Commissioner: News, 20.10.15: Statement from Data Protection Commissioner, Helen Dixon in respect of High Court Case 2013/765 JR - Schrems https://www.dataprotection.ie/docs/20-10-2015-Statement-from-Data-Protection-Commissioner-Helen-Dixon-in-respect-of-High-Court-Case-2013-765-JR-Schrems/1498.htm

Ireland: Data Protection Commissioner: News, 06.10.15: Statement by Data Protection Commissioner, Helen Dixon in respect of the Judgement in Case C-362/14 – Schrems https://www.dataprotection.ie/docs/06-10-2015-Statement-by-Data-Protection-Commissioner-Helen-Dixon-in-respect-of-the-Judgement-in-Case-C-362-14-Schrems/1497.htm

The Guardian, 20.10.15: Max Schrems Facebook privacy complaint to be investigated in Ireland http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/oct/20/max-schrems-facebook-privacy-ireland-investigation

Europe v Facebook, 21.10.15: Irish High Court: Data Protection Commissioner to investigate 'Facebook' over NSA spy program http://www.europe-v-facebook.org/MU_HC.pdf

EurActiv, 20.10.15: Irish court orders investigation of Facebook data transfers to US http://www.euractiv.com/sections/digital/irish-court-orders-investigation-facebook-data-transfers-us-318691

Ireland: Data Protection Commissioner: News, 25.05.16: Statement by the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner in respect of application for Declaratory Relief in the Irish High Court and Referral to the CJEU. https://www.dataprotection.ie/docs/25-05-2016-Statement-by-this-Office-in-respect-of-application-for-Declaratory-Relief-in-the-Irish-High-Court-and-Referral-to-the-CJEU/1570.htm

Europe v Facebook, 25.05.16: Facebook & NSA-Surveillance: Following “Safe Harbor” decision, Irish Data Protection Commissioner to bring EU-US data flows before CJEU again http://www.europe-v-facebook.org/PA_MCs.pdf

Europe v Facebook, 13.06.16: US Government seeks to join European US mass surveillance case http://www.europe-v-facebook.org/PA_MC-US.pdf

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