Access to a website providing information on the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was blocked Wednesday for users attempting to access it from within the European Economic Area (EEA). A message displayed to users stated the site could not grant access due to GDPR enforcement, and provided contact information for Tucson Local Media – an email address (tucsoneditor@tucsonlocalmedia.com) and a phone number (520-797-0175) – for assistance.
The GDPR, established in 2016 and applicable since May 25, 2018, imposes restrictions on the transfer of personal data outside of the EEA, encompassing the EU member states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. According to the European Commission, the regulation aims to ensure that the level of protection granted to individuals under GDPR remains consistent regardless of where their data is processed.
Chapter V of the GDPR specifically details the conditions under which personal data can be transferred to countries or international organizations outside the EEA. The European Data Protection Board (EDPB), composed of representatives from national data protection authorities and the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), plays a key role in interpreting and enforcing these regulations. The European Commission participates in the EDPB’s activities but does not have voting rights.
The EDPB has outlined criteria for identifying a transfer outside the EEA, requiring that a controller or processor is subject to GDPR, that personal data is disclosed to another organization, and that this organization is located outside the EEA or is an international organization. The regulations are intended to guarantee an equivalent level of protection for personal data transferred internationally as that enjoyed within the EEA.
The blocked website, gdpr-info.eu, hosts the official text of the GDPR regulation. As of Wednesday, it remained inaccessible to users within the EEA, with the site citing GDPR compliance as the reason for the restriction. Tucson Local Media has not yet issued a public statement regarding the access issues.
