The FTC published guidance warning companies that “[i]t may be unfair or deceptive for a company to adopt more permissive data practices—for example, to start sharing consumers’ data with third parties or using that data for artificial intelligence (AI) training—and only inform consumers of this change through a surreptitious, retroactive amendment to its terms of service or privacy policy.” … Continue Reading

The California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) recently published two new sets of draft regulations addressing a range of cutting-edge data protection issues.  Although the CPPA has not officially started the formal rulemaking process, the Draft Cybersecurity Audit Regulations and the Draft Risk Assessment Regulations will serve as the foundation for the  process moving forward. … Continue Reading

The August 31 closing of the California legislative session likely marked the end of hopes for an extension of the limited exemptions for employee and business-to-business (B2B) data that have existed for the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) since its inception.  As a result, when the the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) goes into effect on January 1, 2023, employee and B2B data will be treated the same as consumer data. … Continue Reading

In an active week for federal regulators, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) joined the CFPB in announcing important initiatives that may change privacy and data security practices in major ways.

On August 11, the FTC released its Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, seeking public input on a host of questions relating to what it describes as “commercial surveillance”—or “the business of collecting, analyzing, and profiting from information about people”—in order to determine whether to issue a  new rule “to protect people’s privacy and information in the commercial surveillance economy.”    … Continue Reading

In a surprising development, the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) published proposed amendments to the CCPA regulations recently.  The proposed amendments were initially made public in a package of materials to be considered by the CPPA at its upcoming June 8 meeting.  The proposed amendments—which in effect are the draft CPRA regulations—were issued without advance notice, ahead of the schedule previously announced by the CPPA. … Continue Reading

The California Privacy Protection Agency (“CPPA”) scheduled a Board Meeting for June 8th, in which it will be discussing and possibly taking action with regard to the much anticipated CPRA enforcing regulations.  To facilitate this discussion, the CPPA included a draft of the proposed regulations as part of the meeting records. … Continue Reading

Connecticut is the next in a growing list of states to pass comprehensive data privacy legislation.  Last Friday, the Connecticut legislature passed, by large margins, Senate Bill 6 — which we are referring to as the Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CTDPA).  The law now awaits the Governor’s signature.

The CTDPA follows the form and content of other privacy laws passed in the prior year, including the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA), Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA), and Utah Privacy Act (UPA). … Continue Reading

We discuss the growing trends in privacy litigation, particularly litigation targeting company practices regarding the sharing and sale of consumer personal data, plaintiffs’ liability theories, including the right of publicity, and best practices for companies to consider in order to reduce the risk of privacy claims.

Aliza Karetnick, a Ballard Spahr partner and Leader of the firm’s cross-practice Consumer Products and Retail Team, leads the conversation, joined by Phil Yannella, a Ballard partner and Practice Leader of the firm’s Privacy and Data Security Group, and Greg Szwczyk, a Ballard partner and member of the firm’s Privacy and Data Security Group.… Continue Reading

Following the lead of California, Colorado, and Virginia, Utah is set to become the fourth state to pass a comprehensive privacy law.

As of March 4, the Utah Consumer Privacy Act (SB 227) cleared both houses of the Utah legislature.  The UCPA closely resembles the Virginia Consumer Data Privacy Act, but with some interesting changes. … Continue Reading

On September 17th, the Consumer Bankers Association, the American Bankers Association, and a large number of other financial trade associations sent a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and other House Members opposing a proposal under consideration as part of the budget reconciliation package that would require financial institutions and other providers of financial services to track and submit to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) information on the inflows and outflows of every account above a de minimis threshold of $600 during the year, including breakdowns for cash.… Continue Reading