US pulls out of international efforts to create global data flow rules

The United States has pulled out of WTO efforts to create international rules for the free flow of data.

As detailed in this article, the UK Data and Marketing Association (DMA), ourselves at FEDMA and our global body GDMA, have promoted the free flow of data between international jurisdictions.

In 2020, GDMA established a set of Global Privacy Principles aimed at helping international bodies find common ground. Consistency of principles provides the basis for common standards despite widely varying legal heritage across the globe.

This was a hugely positive step at the industry level. But to make a global impact, efforts needed to be made in global fora — such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO)—to proliferate international norms.

But the USA’s Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) pulled out of the WTO in October; a vault-face on the USA’s previously open approach to digital trade and the free flow of data, and brings it into line with the more protectionist policies it has adopted for the trade of products and goods.

See the full article here.