Oculus is adding a privacy center that allows users to check the data collected about them by Oculus as announced by the Facebook-owned VR company early in the morning of this Thursday. However, it was announced that updates such as “My Privacy Centre” will be made available on May 20, as the new service terms are yet to be published this Friday.
This move made by Oculus intends to comply with the European Union’s data collection terms which have been made a funding basis to the upcoming General Protection Regulation. The new set of parameters has the goal of setting higher standards on the lawmaking and enforcement on the collection of data and personal information of the users made by companies.
With the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) going into effect this May, we’re taking the opportunity to provide new tools and information for the global Oculus community // https://t.co/mczMb1y14X pic.twitter.com/rTufpWAytz
— Oculus (@oculus) April 19, 2018
Facebook and Oculus response to EU regulations
Tech and social media companies, in general, have been forced to make moves to adapt to these upcoming standards. In the case of Oculus, a spokesperson gave a very simple explanation of the changes that are to come; stating that changes are just mild tweaks to the way data and information is employed. She also explained that one of the goals is to create a “safe VR environment for all the people.”
Oculus associate general counsel Jenny Hall brought up the adding of Oculus’s existing code of conduct to the official terms of service of the company too. There is speculation on how the code will be expanded to meet further requirements imposed by the EU. Hall stated, “Our practices are not changing with respect to how we use data today. We are just including more transparency.”
Oculus, being Facebook’s VR division is trying to get a headstart before the general data protection regulation takes effect on tech and social media industries. These clauses are scheduled to go into effect and be fully legally installed by May 25.
Oculus and Facebook Tweak Privacy Tools Ahead of GDPR Deadline https://t.co/E8kwybqjDC
— Variety (@Variety) April 19, 2018
GDPR and EU regulations
EU regulations were responsible for the creation of the General Data Protection Regulation, which consists of laws and standards that will allow EU citizens to have more control over their personal data and information usage, it also calls upon tech companies to clarify the rules and responsibilities.
The implementation of new higher standards seems dramatically necessary given the fact that the previous set of laws known as the Directive Governing Data Protection, was passed in 1995 and is outdated. This outgoing legislation will be replaced by the more updated GDPR, which intends to unify the rules for companies in the EU and to compel companies to notify users.
Source: The Verge
