Facebook and Google could face court action over private data

Social networking sites and search engines such as
Facebook and
Google have been told they face court action if they do not allow users to remove all data about themselves.

Internet users should have the ‘right to be forgotten’, to stop prospective employers finding a naked picture of them, for example, Europe’s top legal officer said.

Justice commissioner Viviane Reding said there must be an overhaul of the EU’s 16-year-old laws on data protection to enforce safeguards on how personal information is used.

With many of the companies based in the US or holding data on servers there, she said agencies watching over privacy issues in EU countries should be given more powers to enforce compliance outside Europe.

‘I want to explicitly clarify that people shall have the right – and not only the possibility – to withdraw their consent to data processing,’ Ms Reding said.

‘Any company operating in the EU market or any online product targeted at EU consumers must comply with EU rules.

‘To enforce EU law, national privacy watchdogs shall be endowed with powers to investigate and engage in legal action against non-EU data controllers.’

Sam Hamilton of privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch said: ‘While we believe in self-regulation as the best option, it must be an absolute right of individuals to be forgotten.’

Privacy concerns led to tensions with Washington last year after the MEPs vetoed a deal struck with the European Commission on sharing bank transfer data with counter-terrorism investigators from the US. The deal was renegotiated.