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Dan Cooper

Daniel Cooper is co-chair of Covington’s Data Privacy and Cyber Security Practice, and advises clients on information technology regulatory and policy issues, particularly data protection, consumer protection, AI, and data security matters. He has over 20 years of experience in the field, representing clients in regulatory proceedings before privacy authorities in Europe and counseling them on their global compliance and government affairs strategies. Dan regularly lectures on the topic, and was instrumental in drafting the privacy standards applied in professional sport.

According to Chambers UK, his "level of expertise is second to none, but it's also equally paired with a keen understanding of our business and direction." It was noted that "he is very good at calibrating and helping to gauge risk."

Dan is qualified to practice law in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Belgium. He has also been appointed to the advisory and expert boards of privacy NGOs and agencies, such as the IAPP's European Advisory Board, Privacy International and the European security agency, ENISA.

Contact:Read more about Dan CooperEmail

On March 20, 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) ruled on the fairness, under EU consumer protection law, of a contractual clause allocating a percentage of an athlete’s income to a professional services provider (Case C‑365/23 [Arce]).  This ruling sets an important precedent and strengthens the protection afforded by consumer protection law to minors who enter into professional service contracts, whether in sport or elsewhere.Continue Reading CJEU Rules on Fairness of Remuneration Clause in Sports Contract

On March 21, 2025, the European Commission announced that the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (“CPC-N”) had initiated enforcement proceedings against an online gaming company, for allegedly violating EU consumer protection laws and engaging in practices that could pose a particular risk to children.  The gaming company now has one month to propose commitments to remedy the consumer law violations identified by the CPC-N.  Concurrently, the CPC-N published guidelines to promote transparency and fairness in the online gaming industry’s use of virtual currencies.Continue Reading Consumer Watchdogs Turn Their Attention to the Online Gaming Industry

On February 4, 2025, the Japanese Government announced its intention to position Japan as “the most AI-friendly country in the world”, with a lighter regulatory approach than that of the EU and some other nations.  This statement follows: (i) the Japanese government’s recent submission of an AI bill to Japan’s Parliament, and (ii) the Japanese Personal Data Protection Commission’s (“PPC”) proposals to amend the Japanese Act on the Protection of Personal Information (“APPI”) to facilitate the use of personal data for the development of AI.Continue Reading Japan Plans to Adopt AI-Friendly Legislation

On March 13, 2025, the Court of Justice of the EU (“CJEU”) ruled that the right of rectification (in Article 16 GDPR) requires a national authority to correct a person’s gender identity, where it is shown to be inaccurate (Case C‑247/23 [Deldits]).  The authority, however, may require that person to provide relevant and sufficient evidence to establish that the information concerning their gender is inaccurate, but may not go so far as to require proof of gender reassignment surgery.Continue Reading CJEU Rules on Right of Rectification of Gender Identity

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On March 5, 2025, the European Data Protection Board (“EDPB”) announced that EU Supervisory Authorities (“SAs”) will undertake a coordinated enforcement action in 2025 regarding data subjects’ right to erasure under Art. 17 of the GDPR.  For context, the EDPB selects a particular topic each year as its focus for pan-EU coordinated enforcement.Continue Reading EDPB Launches Coordinated Enforcement on the Right to Erasure

On November 8, 2024, the UK’s communications regulator, the Office of Communications (“Ofcom”) published an open letter to online service providers operating in the UK regarding the Online Safety Act (“OSA”) and generative AI (the “Open Letter”).  In the Open Letter, Ofcom reminds online service providers that generative AI tools, such as chatbots and search assistants may fall within the scope of regulated services under the OSA.  More recently, Ofcom also published several pieces of guidance (some of which are under consultation) that include further commentary on how the OSA applies to generative AI services.Continue Reading Ofcom Explains How the UK Online Safety Act Will Apply to Generative AI

On February 27, 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) issued a significant decision on the right of data subjects to request access to their personal data under Article 15 GDPR, specifically as it relates to automated decision-making and striking an appropriate balance between informing data subjects and protecting trade secrets (Case C‑203/22).Continue Reading CJEU Clarifies GDPR Rights on Automated Decision-Making and Trade Secrets

On February 20, 2025, the European Commission’s AI Office held a webinar explaining the AI literacy obligation under Article 4 of the EU’s AI Act.  This obligation started to apply on February 2, 2025.  At this webinar, the Commission highlighted the recently published repository of AI literacy practices.  This repository compiles the practices that some AI Pact companies have adopted to ensure a sufficient level of AI literacy in their workforce.  Continue Reading European Commission Provides Guidance on AI Literacy Requirement under the EU AI Act

On February 7, 2025, the OECD launched a voluntary framework for companies to report on their efforts to promote safe, secure and trustworthy AI.  This global reporting framework is intended to monitor and support the application of the International Code of Conduct for Organisations Developing Advanced AI Systems delivered by the 2023 G7 Hiroshima AI Process (“HAIP Code of Conduct”).*  Organizations can choose to comply with the HAIP Code of Conduct and participate in the HAIP reporting framework on a voluntary basis.  This reporting framework will allow participating organizations that comply with the HAIP Code of Conduct to showcase the efforts they have made towards ensuring responsible AI practices – in a way that is standardized and comparable with other companies.Continue Reading OECD Launches Voluntary Reporting Framework on AI Risk Management Practices

On February 6, 2025, Advocate General Spielmann released his opinion in the EDPS vs. SRB case (Case C‑413/23 P).  In this case, the European Data Protection Supervisor appealed a decision from the General Court (see our blog post here).

In essence, the case turns on the question of whether…

Continue Reading CJEU Advocate General Supports Pragmatic Definition of Personal Data