White House asks key government privacy watchdogs to resign. Here's why the European Union should now suspend US cloud providers Apple, Google, Microsoft or Amazon

The White House has requested that the three Democratic members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) resign by end of day Thursday or face termination, a source close to the agency confirmed.

The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board is also instrumental in implementing an agreement between the U.S. and European Union that allows businesses to transfer Europeans' data to the United States.

The move will dismantle a key intelligence program watchdog agency, leaving it with just one member as it prepares to help lawmakers navigate a highly contentious debate over whether to keep certain government surveillance powers intact.

PCLOB is just the latest privacy and security-related board to have its membership wiped as the new Trump administration settles in.

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine C. Huffman sent a letter Monday terminating all members of the department's advisory boards — including one that was investigating the China-backed hack of U.S. telcos.
"Effective immediately, the Department of Homeland Security will no longer tolerate any advisory committee which push agendas that attempt to undermine its national security mission, the President's agenda or Constitutional rights of Americans," a senior DHS official said in a statement.

axios.com/2025/01/22/white-hou…

technology@lemmy.world