EU Privacy Watchdog Noyb Primed to Pursue US-Style Class Actions

An Austrian privacy advocacy organization gained new powers to bring collective actions against companies in the European Union, threatening to force US digital platforms to reshape how they handle personal data in the bloc.

Noyb—European Center for Digital Rights, led by privacy activist Max Schrems, on Dec. 2 secured “qualified entity” status in Austria and Ireland under a 2020 EU directive that allows approved organizations to represent the collective interests of consumers in court actions against companies violating EU laws, including the landmark General Data Protection Regulation. The directive has yet to spark significant litigation, partly because some countries hadn’t ...