European Union approves landmark digital privacy reform

The European Union has officially approved a major overhaul of its digital privacy regulations, introducing stricter controls on how global tech companies collect, store, and use user data. The new reform strengthens consumer consent rules, increases transparency requirements, and allows regulators to impose significantly higher fines on companies found violating privacy standards. EU officials stated that the move aims to protect citizens in an era of rapid AI growth, social media expansion, and cross-border data transfers. Tech firms and digital rights groups across Europe are closely analyzing the changes, as the reform is expected to reshape online advertising, data-driven business models, and user privacy protections worldwide.