Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)

The Minister mentioned TikTok. Recently, the data protection commissioner fined it €530 million for the improper personal data transfer from Ireland and the EU to China. The most common question people are asking since this news broke is why such data would be sent to China. Is it that we do not have the capacity to store it here ourselves? Why was the transfer deemed inappropriate and improper? What was the reasoning and logic was behind the €530 million fine? Did the transfer of this information pose a threat? What was the reason for it?

People are also asking what this personal data includes. What kind of personal data is being sent to China for storage? Will the transfer of personal data from Ireland to other countries and continents be an ongoing occurrence? How will that be monitored?

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