EU users blocked from some US news sites after data laws come into effect

A number of US news websites are temporarily unavailable to most European users, as new EU data protection rules come into effect.

EU users blocked from some US news sites after data laws come into effect

A number of US news websites are temporarily unavailable to most European users, as new EU data protection rules come into effect.

The EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules offer new protections for web users over how their data is used, stored and shared by organisations.

Many websites - both local and international - are today asking European users to agree to new privacy terms.

However, visitors attempting to access US news websites owned by the Tronc group have temporarily had their access fully blocked.

Tronc - the third-largest newspaper publisher in the US - owns papers such as the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and the New York Daily News.

The note reads: "We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to the EU market.

"We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism."

Other US sites offered different solutions - with public radio broadcaster NPR informing European users they could either accept their terms for the full website or instead access a basic 'plain text' version.

Some other websites and services were also at least temporarily blocked to European users - such as video game Ragnarok Online and the Pinterest-owned Instapaper.

The GDPR rules are coming into force two years after their adoption.

Speaking about the new GDPR rules, the European Commission's Commissioner for Justice Vera Jourová said: "Data protection is a fundamental right in the EU. The new rules will put the Europeans back in control of their data. Now we have a choice and can decide what happens and who has what sort of data.

"You can ask and companies have to tell you. You can also recover your data if you leave or change service."

more courts articles

Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother
Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van
Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman

More in this section

Jacob Zuma Former South Africa leader Jacob Zuma barred from running in elections
Nine detained in Tajikistan in relation to Moscow concert hall attack Nine detained in Tajikistan in relation to Moscow concert hall attack
Highbury Corner Magistrates Court - London Teenager charged with attempted murder after London train stabbing
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited