Obituary: Safe Harbour – 2000-2015
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Fieldfisher is saddened to report the sudden and unexpected demise of Safe Harbour. Though rumours had persisted of its ill-health for a number of years, yesterday’s news comes as a shock to us all.
Despite passing at the tender age of just 15, Safe Harbour had made quite an impact in its short lifetime. Originally born in 2000, the lovechild of the European Union and United States, tensions became apparent in its parents’ relationship in later years. Throughout its childhood and early teens, Safe Harbour amassed many friends, particularly in the United States. It also mingled in celebrity circles, counting high profile individuals like Facebook, Google, LinkedIn and Twitter among its good friends.
However popular it may have been, though, scandal seemed always to follow Safe Harbor – particularly in relation to its transatlantic data shipping business, through which it amassed particular fame and fortune. While purportedly running this business to very exacting, principled standards, rumours persisted that Safe Harbour did not exercise sufficient oversight over how customers used its product – and that some of these customers were using Safe Harbor’s data products for illicit purposes. Whether or not this is true is open for debate, and some commentators have argued that Safe Harbour has been unfairly victimized, arguing that its business competitors Model Clauses and Binding Corporate Rules have comparable practices.
Safe Harbour was ultimately killed in a collision while on a hiking holiday on Mount Snowden [sic]. Reports are that it was struck down by an unstoppable vehicle driven by an Austrian student. The vehicle involved in the accident is reported to be of European, probably Irish, make. As anyone familiar with the area knows, the countryside around Mount Snowden has many unpredictable twists and turns along its roads, making it dangerous for anyone to travail. Anyone could be its next victim.
Safe Harbour’s death has attracted commentary from its former friends and critics alike, all hailing it as a significant passing that will have a major impact on the transatlantic data shipping industry. Others maintain that, notwithstanding Safe Harbor’s passing, transatlantic data shipping will continue much as it has before, albeit with some disruption, through the operations of Model Clauses, Binding Corporate Rules and, of course, the infamous data Black Market.
Safe Harbour is rumoured to be survived by a child, dubbed “Safe Harbour 2.0”, although no public sightings of this child have yet been seen.