The GDPR defines data concerning health as a special category of personal data that is subject to specific processing conditions and safeguards. The GDPR prohibits the processing of such data unless one of the exceptions in Article 9 applies. One of these exceptions is the explicit consent of the data subject, which means that the data subject has given a clear and affirmative indication of their agreement to the processing of their health data. Another exception is when the processing is necessary for reasons of public interest in the area of public health, such as protecting against serious cross-border threats to health or ensuring high standards of quality and safety of health care. A third exception is when the processing is necessary for the purposes of preventive or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services. These exceptions are based on the principle of necessity, which means that the processing must be strictly necessary for a specific purpose and cannot be achieved by other means.

In the given scenario, the journalist does not fall under any of these exceptions. The journalist is not a health professional, a public authority, or a person who has obtained the explicit consent of the data subject. The journalist is not processing the data for any legitimate purpose related to public health, medical care, or social protection. The journalist is merely pursuing their own interest in publishing a story that may or may not be in the public interest. The journalist is not respecting the data subject's rights and freedoms, especially their right to privacy and confidentiality. Therefore, the journalist would be least likely to be allowed to engage in the collection, use, and disclosure of the data subject's sensitive medical information without their knowledge or consent.Reference:

Article 4 (15) and Article 9 of the GDPR

Health data | ICO

What does the GDPR mean for personal data in medical reports?

Sensitive data and medical confidentiality - FutureLearn

Health data and data privacy: storing sensitive data under GDPR

According to the GDPR, consent is one of the six lawful bases for processing personal data, but it is not always the most appropriate one.Consent must be freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous, and the data subject must have the right to withdraw it at any time1.In the context of employment, consent is often not a valid lawful basis, because there is a clear imbalance of power between the employer and the employee, which means that the consent is not freely given2. Moreover, consent can be difficult to manage and document, and it can pose practical problems if the employee withdraws it.Therefore, consent is the weakest lawful basis for processing employee personal data, and employers should rely on other lawful bases, such as contract, legal obligation, vital interests, public task or legitimate interests, depending on the purpose and necessity of the processing3.Reference:1: Article 4(11) and Article 7 of the GDPR;2: [EDPB Guidelines], page 6;3:A Guide to Lawful Basis for Processing Employee Personal Data.

A data sharing agreement is a contract that documents what data is being shared and how it can be used. It can be used to make data sharing lawful and to demonstrate compliance with the accountability principle under the GDPR. A data sharing agreement is most likely to be needed when personal data is being shared between commercial organizations acting as joint data controllers, because they have to determine and agree on their respective roles and responsibilities, such as the purpose and legal basis of the data sharing, the rights of the data subjects, the security measures, and the liability for any breaches. A data sharing agreement is not mandatory, but it is good practice and can help to avoid disputes and confusion. A data sharing agreement may not be needed or may be less detailed in the other scenarios, depending on the circumstances and the nature of the data. For example, anonymized data is not personal data under the GDPR and does not require a data sharing agreement, although it may still be subject to other contractual or ethical obligations. Personal data that is proactively shared by a controller to support a police investigation may be covered by a legal obligation or a public interest, and the controller may not have much control over how the data is used by the police. Personal data that is shared with a public authority with powers to require the personal data to be disclosed may also be subject to a legal obligation or a public interest, and the controller may have to comply with the authority's request without a data sharing agreement.Reference:

Data sharing agreements | ICO, which provides guidance on the benefits and contents of a data sharing agreement.

Data Sharing Agreement - the Definition - GDPR Summary, which explains what a data sharing agreement is and when it can be used.

The role of data sharing and the GDPR | Data Republic, which discusses the impact of the GDPR on data sharing practices.

A dynamic IP address is a unique numerical label for a device on the internet that changes every time the device connects to the internet. A dynamic IP address by itself is not personal data, as it does not directly identify the person who owns or uses the device. However, a dynamic IP address can become personal data when it is combined with other data held by the controller, such as the web pages accessed by the device, the time and duration of the visit, the location of the device, or the user's preferences and interests. In this case, the controller can use the additional data to identify the data subject, either directly or indirectly, by linking the dynamic IP address to a specific person or a profile. This was confirmed by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in the case of Breyer v Bundesrepublik Deutschland, where the CJEU ruled that a dynamic IP address registered by a website provider constitutes personal data in relation to that provider, where the latter has the legal means to obtain the identity of the data subject from the internet service provider (ISP) that assigned the dynamic IP address. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.Reference:Directive 95/46/EC,Directive 2002/58/EC,Breyer v Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Case C-582/14,Dynamic IP Addresses can be Personal Data

The ECHR and the CJEU are part of two different legal systems: the Council of Europe and the European Union, respectively. The ECHR is a treaty that guarantees human rights and fundamental freedoms to individuals within the jurisdiction of its 47 member states. The CJEU is the judicial branch of the EU that ensures the uniform interpretation and application of EU law within its 27 member states. The ECHR can only hear complaints from individuals or states alleging violations of the rights enshrined in the convention, and it can only issue judgments that are binding on the respondent state. The CJEU, on the other hand, can hear cases from individuals, states, EU institutions, or national courts on any matter of EU law, and it can issue rulings that are binding on all EU member states and institutions. The CJEU can also impose sanctions or penalties on states that fail to comply with its judgments or EU law in general. Therefore, the CJEU has more power and authority to enforce EU law than the ECHR has to enforce human rights law.Reference:CIPP/E Certification,ECHR and the CJEU,The UK, the EU and a British Bill of Rights