Island Life: Ski Season, Privacy Laws And Iceland’s Beloved Plover

A little-known ruling for the Data Protection Authority (DPA) could have far-reaching consequences for Iceland. Last month, they ruled that a labour union taking pictures of work conditions at Móðir Jörð, an organic farm near Egilsstaðir, and subsequently publishing those photos in a negative context, broke privacy laws. More on this soon.

In many countries, the red-breasted robin hails the coming of spring; in Iceland, the plover is the herald of spring, and the bird was reportedly spotted in south Iceland late last month. Many of us felt downright smug about it, as the bird appeared during a spate of warm, sunny weather. Our smugness was consequently deflated when we awoke on Easter Monday to snow covering the capital area. Lousy lying plover.

ski season has officially begun in the Westfjords. Given the region’s steep and many mountains, you’d be hard pressed to find a better region of Iceland for the sport.