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  1. New global regulations are changing our digital operations
4. New global regulations are changing our digital operations
2025 Data law trends
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In brief

Over the past year, a global push to regulate the safety, accountability, and transparency of online services have begun to crystalize. In late 2023, the EU Digital Services Act came into force alongside the passage of the UK Online Safety Act, signaling a significant shift in how digital intermediaries are regulated.

While the US has yet to pass federal legislation, both state and federal regulators invoking concerns about privacy and consumer rights and state lawmakers focusing on children’s safety, have worked to address the gap.

Beyond the EU, UK, and US, laws like the Australian Online Safety Act are contributing to an expanding landscape of digital regulation. The full impact – both intended and unintended – of these developments will unfold over the coming years.

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Leading the change: 2025 Data Law Trends
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Leading the change: 2025 Data Law Trends
New global regulations are changing our digital operations

Digital intermediaries have long been subject to general laws and an assortment of targeted obligations. However, the EU Digital Services Act and the UK Online Safety Act reflect first attempts at the comprehensive regulation of online harm, as well as various other perceived risks and challenges arising from digital intermediaries related to transparency and accountability. They come at a time when lawmakers and regulators are also keenly focused on competition and consumer issues in digital ecosystems, with reforms such as the EU Digital Markets Act and UK Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act imposing parallel obligations on so-called digital ‘gatekeepers.’

Adopting the lexicon of Australia’s 2021 Online Safety Act – an early, industry-led framework passed by federal lawmakers in Australia – many jurisdictions are increasingly framing the issue of digital risk as a question of online safety, especially that of children.

In the US, the Kids Online Safety Act – a sweeping Bill passed by the Senate that would impose a duty of care on covered platforms, along with various safeguarding, disclosure and transparency requirements – reflects mounting bipartisan efforts at a federal level to regulate in this space. Despite uncertainty as to whether it has the necessary traction to pass the House, the law signals the intent with which many lawmakers are confronting the issue.

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The debate over online safety is just beginning; emerging technologies and processes that are being developed now may well fundamentally change our expectations of the way we participate in life online.

Rachael Annear, Partner

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While the US debates the merits and constitutionality of laws seeking to improve online safety, accountability and transparency, the UK, EU and various other jurisdictions have moved forward with robust reforms that may ultimately drive global standards.

Tristan Lockwood, Senior Associate

Looking ahead

As we move forward, we anticipate that more jurisdictions will introduce laws aimed at enhancing the safety, accountability, and transparency of digital intermediaries. As these regulations evolve, we expect regulators to:

  • Leverage new laws to tackle perceived risks and address control deficiencies.
  • Utilize transparency mechanisms to bridge the information gaps between digital service providers and consumers.
  • Focus on service providers that fail to adhere to their terms of service and public statements, particularly regarding content moderation.

With this shifting regulatory landscape, it’s essential for providers to consider any structural changes necessary to ensure that their product development, launch, and monitoring processes, along with compliance design and assurance frameworks, are robust and fit for purpose in the medium and long term.

Our team

Our team

London
Rachael Annearパートナー
Hong Kong
Richard Birdパートナー
Vienna
Gernot Fritzカウンセル
Hamburg
Rixa Kuhmannアソシエイト
Washington, DC
Janet H. Kimパートナー
Hamburg
Laura Knokeパートナー
London
Tristan Lockwoodシニア・アソシエイト
Munich
Christina Möllnitz-Dimickアソシエイト
Washington, DC
Sean Quinnカウンセル
Vienna, Düsseldorf
Lutz Riedeパートナー
2025 Data law trends

2025 Data law trends

Nov 29 2024
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3. A new wave of cyber threats is here

As global cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, companies are navigating an increasingly complex risk landscape.

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4. New global regulations are changing our digital operations

Over the past year, a global push to regulate the safety, accountability, and transparency of online services have begun to crystalize. In late 2023, the EU Digital Services Act came into force alongside the passage of the UK Online Safety Act, signaling a significant shift in how digital intermediaries are regulated.

Nov 29 2024
5. Tougher enforcement is reshaping data and privacy compliance

The spotlight on AI risks is intensifying, and with it comes a surge in data-related regulatory enforcement worldwide. Regulators are not only using existing laws but are also advocating for greater powers to oversee AI development and deployment.

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6. US State consumer privacy laws are expanding

Consumer privacy legislation in the US has reached a critical turning point. With no comprehensive nationwide privacy law in place, individual states have begun enacting their own laws to safeguard consumer privacy. Currently, over 40 percent of US states have implemented consumer privacy laws, and momentum continues to grow as additional states propose and consider their own legislation.

Nov 29 2024
7. Asia’s privacy laws are maturing

In recent years, many countries across Asia have either rolled out new comprehensive privacy laws or made significant amendments to existing regulations. Notable examples include China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. Currently, Indonesia, India, and Malaysia are working toward the full implementation of their newly amended laws.

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8. New EU data access regulations are shaping the future

The European Commission’s Data Strategy 2020 has paved the way for new data access regulations that will significantly impact businesses across Europe. In this chapter, we dive into the data access rights established by the EU’s Data Act, along with two pivotal Common European Data Spaces: the European Health Data Space (EHDS) and the Financial Data Access (FIDA) framework.

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