On March 9, 2017 the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) came forward with a decision on the Manni Case C-398/15, which clarified several key aspects of the right to be forgotten and more specifically some of the conditions under which the right can be exercised in pursuance of the erasure of data stored in public registers. The right to erasure, widely known as the right to be “forgotten”, emerged from CJEU’s case-law after the renowned Google Spain decision from the spring of 2014.

The perceptions towards online dating have significantly changed over the last years. We witness how the old-time stigma has been gradually overcome and people now more than ever seem to accept, approve, and use online dating services. Whether in search for The One or for someone with common interests and hobbies, people are increasingly willing to turn to online websites and mobile apps – the 2017 Cupid is holding a smartphone!

On 12^th July 2016, the European Commission launched the long-awaited EU-U.S. Privacy Shield. The shield was born from the ashes of the Safe Harbour with the promise to restore trust through strong safeguards. However, many have considered this instrument stillborn for its failure to convince anyone but its creators of its adequacy, effectiveness and commitment to the level of protection and principles of data protection in the EU. The choice of vague legalese, the introduction of new actors of dubious legal value, and the general trend of seeking a solution to the effect rather than the cause of the problem have all created the feeling of a Damoclean Sword hanging over the ICT industry instead of a Shield protecting the rights and interests of both citizens and businesses.

Anonymising technologies have gradually become an important tool in the protection of citizens‘ and human rights activists‘ privacy. Many of these technologies are also used for illegal purposes by terrorists and organised crimes groups that aim to remain anonymous in order to escape criminal prosecution. Privacy has never been a subject of so much debate, yet it has also never been as jeopardised by mass surveillance as it is now. The present article has two parts. The first analyses the technical background of anonymising technologies and the second focuses on the legal issues emerging from their pervasive use.

Anonymising technologies have gradually become an important tool in the protection of citizens‘ and human rights activists‘ privacy. Many of these technologies are also used for illegal purposes by terrorists and organised crimes groups that aim to remain anonymous in order to escape criminal prosecution. Privacy has never been a subject of so much debate, yet it has also never been as jeopardised by mass surveillance as it is now. The present article has two parts. The first analyses the technical background of anonymising technologies and the second focuses on the legal issues emerging from their pervasive use.