New European legislation ignites next data privacy battle

Called ePrivacy Regulation, the law specifically protects the confidentiality of electronic communications

The new European data privacy legislation is so stringent that it could kill off data-driven online services and chill innovations like driverless cars, tech industry groups warn.

The American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union called the legislation "overly strict." The Developers Alliance, a trade group representing Facebook, Google, Intel and dozens of app makers, said it could cost businesses in Europe more than 550 billion euros, or about $640 billion, in annual lost revenue. And DigitalEurope, another tech trade group, said the legislation's prohibitive approach "seriously undermines the development of Europe's digital economy."

These industry alarms are not