EU e-Privacy Proposal Risks Breaking 'Internet of Things'

The Internet of Things (IoT) offers myriad benefits to European society. But the European Union’s forthcoming ePrivacy Regulation could throw sand in the gears of such progress by unnecessarily regulating IoT devices. As Nick Wallace writes for EUobserver, policymakers should narrow the scope of the regulation while they still have the opportunity. To fix the problem, EU policymakers need to clarify that the ePR should not apply to most IoT devices. EU policymakers have already created major problems for Europe's digital economy with its General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which imposes restrictions that will undermine technological innovation in Europe, often without increasing consumer protection. By adding even tighter restrictions, the ePR is likely to further limit EU digital innovation.