Watch what you share, activists warn as 60,000 data breaches reported under new EU rules

Almost 60,000 personal data breaches have been reported to Europe's regulators since the EU adopted a landmark privacy law, according to figures published on Tuesday that campaigners said should spur people to think twice about what they share online.

The EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires organizations holding personal information, such as a person's name, address and religion, to notify authorities when they suffer a breach - or face a hefty fine.

Leaks reported since the law was adopted in May 2018 included anything from major hacks to minor incidents like an email sent to the wrong address or lost USB stick, according to a study by global law firm DLA Piper.

"The GDPR is driving personal data breach out into the open," said Ross McKean, a partner at the firm specializing in cyber and data protection.

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