Databeveiliging: hoe bewaak je jouw privacy? (en)

In this age of internet, smartphones and social media, it is very easy to share and search for personal information. Maybe too easy. Your loan application could be rejected because you live in the wrong neighbourhood, photos you publish online may come back to haunt you and supposedly free websites earn their keep by selling and using your personal data. The EU is now working to overhaul its data protection rules to help people stay in control of their private information.

Current EU legislation was drafted back in 1995 and needs updating to keep pace with technological change. The European Commission proposed in 2012 a new regulation on a single set of rules for all data collected online to ensure it is kept safe and also to provide businesses with a clear framework for processing them.

The European Parliament is now working on the proposed regulation as well as on a directive on data processing in law enforcement. Four EP committees have adopted opinions and the civil liberties committee, which is in charge of the file, votes on a report by the end of June 2013.

Parliament holds a seminar for journalists on 14-15 May to explain and discuss the issues at stake.

Check out the sections in our feature to find out more about data protection and how the Parliament has fought to improve it and join the conversation on the subject on Twitter using the #EUdataP hashtag.