Final
Social Media Expert Subgroup meeting
26 February 2019, Rue Montoyer 30, Ground Floor Meeting Room
Welcome & introduction
Approval of the Agenda
The draft agenda was approved.
National updates
Several members of the expert subgroup provided an update on relevant activities, investigations and
trends at national level, amongst other on the topic of political parties and their use of social media
(notably in the context of electoral campaigns and after elections), individuals targeting during
political campaigns, device fingerprinting, personal data revealing political opinions and individuals
rights.
The coordinators asked members of the expert subgroup to share links to relevant documents once
they are made available on their website, even if not yet translated into English.
Targeting of Social Media Users (Work Item 1)
The rapporteurs presented the revised draft guidelines on social media users targeting and mentioned
the main changes since the previous version. After presenting the most relevant discussion points the
members of the expert subgroup reflected and expressed their views.
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TO DO: the rapporteurs mentioned that written comments on the draft are still welcome and asked
to members of the expert subgroup to provide comments on the examples in view of enriching them
and linking them to each other.
Deadline for written comments to be sent to rapporteur is 5th April 2019. The drafting team will then
circulate a new version of the draft integrating the comments for the 24th May 2019.
Proposals for common strategic priorities in terms of supervision and
guidance (Work Item 2)
The members of the expert subgroup discussed and finalized the proposals for common strategic
priorities in terms of supervision and guidance.
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Issue 6 - Interplay between the ePrivacy Directive and the GDPR (already agreed upon): no
more comment was made on this issue.
TO DO: The document will be updated to reflect the discussion and will be open to additional
comments from members of the expert subgroup to be provided by the 14th of March 2019. Then the
comments will be incorporated around the 21st of March 2019 with a small opportunity for new
comments. After that, the document will be modified one last time in order to be uploaded for the
next plenary (either April or May, depending on the comments received). Relevant elements of the
discussion for other expert subgroups will be shared with them in order to already start cooperating
and eventually get their feedback shortly.
Free and fair EU elections
The EDPS recently organized a workshop on free and fair EU elections which is available online and
shared this experience with the expert subgroup. The focus of the workshop was on how to
understand what online manipulation is and how to combat it. The EDPS summarized the discussion
that took place during the event as well as the conclusions of the latter, including the next steps that
should be taken. In summary, the EDPS observed that many of the recent concerns regarding elections
often also trigger data protection concerns. It was therefore recommended to enhance cooperation
with other relevant competent authorities.
Statement on the use of personal data by political parties in the context
of elections (new work item) (SEC)
The document was initially circulated in January 2019, and has then been open for comments.
Comments provided have been integrated for the document to be ready for the next plenary meeting.
Before reviewing the document point per point, the members of the expert subgroup shared some
general remarks on the draft statement:
considered that it wouldn’t.
TO DO: The document is due on Circa for the 1st March 2019. Final comments and written suggestions
must in view of that be sent to the Secretariat by the 27th February 2019 at the latest. The current
version of the document will be circulated today as soon as possible for the members for the subgroup
to provide their comments to the Secretariat.
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Report on the joint workshop between Consumer and Data Protection
Authorities
The European Commission reported on the joint workshop between consumer- and data protection
authorities that took place on 23rd November 2018. This workshop aimed at finding how consumer
and data protection authorities could better collaborate. A brief summary of the workshop was
presented to the members of the expert subgroup.
AOB
- The September meeting of the expert subgroup is likely to take place on the 20th September 2019
since there is no room availability conflicts. Members of the expert subgroup are welcome to mention
if there is any issue regarding the choice of this day and SEC will confirm room availability before that
the expert subgroup officially communicates on this.
- Members of the expert subgroup will reflect upon a new acronym for the expert subgroup.
- Note: work item 2 is intended to be submitted to either the April or May plenary meeting of 2019.
- Note: work item 1 will examined further during the expert subgroup meeting of June 2019.
Annex: Attendance List
SAs
AT, BE, DE (Baden-Württemberg, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein), DK, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, IT, LU,
PL, RO, SE, SI, SK
NO, IS
Further attendees:
- European Commission
- EDPS
- EDPB Secretariat
To-do/Next steps
- Regarding Work Item 1: members of the expert subgroup to provide comments on the examples in
view of enriching them and linking them to each other. DE will share the slides of the presentation
with the members.
- Regarding Work Item 2: document to be updated to reflect the discussion and will be open to
additional comments from members of the expert subgroup to be provided by the 14th of March 2019.
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- Regarding new Work Item (statement on the use of personal data by political parties in the context
of elections): document to be uploaded on CIRCA for the 1st March 2019. Final comments and written
suggestions to be sent to the SEC by the 27th February 2019 at the latest. Current version of the
document to be circulated today as soon as possible for the members for the subgroup to provide
their comments to the SEC.
- Date of next meeting: 11 June 2019
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