On April 21, 2025, the Oregon Department of Justice’s Privacy Unit reported a “big spike” in complaints about the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the first quarter of 2025....more
Becker’s Hospital Review reports that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) “has access to sensitive information in 19 HHS databases and systems,” according to a court filing obtained by Wired. HHS provided the...more
4/25/2025
/ Data Collection ,
Data Privacy ,
Data Security ,
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Employees ,
Federal Contractors ,
Government Agencies ,
Personal Data ,
Personal Information ,
PHI
In the ongoing saga of the 23andMe bankruptcy, Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson recently sent a letter to the Trustee overseeing the 23andMe bankruptcy proceeding stating, “As Chairman of the Federal Trade...more
In its continued concentration on the collection and use of consumers’ precise geolocation, on January 16, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) settled with General Motors (GM) over allegations that it collected, used,...more
The United States Supreme Court announced on December 18, 2024, that it will hear the TikTok ban case and has scheduled oral arguments to be held on January 10, 2025, before the ban’s effective date of January 19, 2025....more
I have commented before that I do not enable location-based services unless I use an app that requires it, like a ride-sharing app or directions. One of the reasons is to prevent data brokers and others from using precise...more
Nebraska recently filed suit against TikTok, and the details of the harms associated with using TikTok by children are outlined in the complaint. Although the complaint seeks redress only for Nebraskans, the allegations are...more
On July 10, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin granted plaintiffs’ Motion for Final Approval of a $12.2 million proposed settlement by Advocate Aurora Health to settle allegations against the...more
Some writers (not from my great state of Rhode Island) act like Rhode Island has been behind the times when it comes to data privacy and security when discussing Rhode Island’s new privacy law. I feel a need to explain that...more
7/12/2024
/ Consent ,
Consumer Privacy Rights ,
COPPA ,
Data Breach ,
Data Collection ,
Data Privacy ,
Data Processors ,
Data Protection ,
Data Security ,
Notification Requirements ,
Personal Data ,
Privacy Policy ,
Rhode Island ,
State Privacy Laws
In the latest surge of lawsuits against retailers for embedding tracking technology into websites, yummy cookie company Crumbl was sued on May 1, 2024, for allegedly embedding web-tracking technology allowing third-party...more
As threatened, TikTok, Inc. and ByteDance, Ltd., the owner of the TikTok app, filed suit against the United States on May 7, 2024, alleging that the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act...more
5/9/2024
/ Biden Administration ,
China ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Data Collection ,
Data Protection ,
Divestiture ,
Due Process ,
Federal Bans ,
Fifth Amendment ,
First Amendment ,
Foreign Adversaries ,
Free Speech ,
Mobile Apps ,
National Security ,
New Legislation ,
Personal Information ,
Privacy Concerns ,
Social Media ,
Spyware ,
Takings Clause ,
TikTok
President Biden signed a historical aid package into law on Tuesday that includes aid for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific region. The package also includes a bill increasing sanctions on Russian assets and requiring...more
4/25/2024
/ Biden Administration ,
China ,
Data Collection ,
Data Protection ,
Divestiture ,
Federal Bans ,
Foreign Adversaries ,
Mobile Apps ,
National Security ,
New Legislation ,
Personal Information ,
Privacy Concerns ,
Social Media ,
Spyware ,
TikTok
Car manufacturer General Motors (GM) is the subject of litigation in Georgia by two New Jersey Chevy Bolt drivers who allege that GM collected data about their driving habits and behavior and disclosed it to third parties,...more
Yesterday, with broad bipartisan support, the U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly (352-65) to support the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, designed to begin the process...more
3/14/2024
/ Biden Administration ,
China ,
Data Collection ,
Data Protection ,
Federal Bans ,
Foreign Adversaries ,
Mobile Apps ,
National Security ,
Pending Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Social Media ,
TikTok
The bill that passed in the U.S. House of Representatives potentially banning TikTok’s use in the U.S. is not a novel idea. The federal government has already banned TikTok’s use for federal employees, some states have banned...more
3/14/2024
/ China ,
Data Collection ,
Data Protection ,
Federal Bans ,
Mobile Apps ,
National Security ,
Pending Legislation ,
Personal Information ,
Privacy Concerns ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Social Media ,
TikTok
CYBERSECURITY -
TechRadar's Cyber Predictions for 2024 are Spot On -
Because technology develops so rapidly, and “trends” are fast and furious, it is always hard to predict what the big issues will be for the next...more
1/9/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
China ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Collection ,
Data Privacy ,
Data Protection ,
Hackers ,
Information Security ,
Machine Learning ,
National Security ,
Ransomware ,
Social Media ,
State Bans ,
TikTok
Montana’s legislature last year passed legislation, signed by the Governor, to ban the use of TikTok within the borders of the state, seeking to protect Montana consumers’ personal information and limit spying by the Chinese...more
1/4/2024
/ China ,
Data Collection ,
Data Protection ,
Mobile Apps ,
Montana ,
National Security ,
Personal Information ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Social Media ,
State Bans ,
TikTok
We previously wrote about how toys, baby monitors, and other smart devices collect, use, and disclose personal information about children, and risks to children’s privacy. As adults responsible for the safety of children in...more
The holidays are upon us, including “cyber week” filled with deals for shopping for the holidays. The U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) is warning shoppers about smart toys this holiday season. In its article,...more
If you didn’t get to watch “60 Minutes” on Sunday and see the “Five Eyes” warn us all about China, put it on your list to watch soon.
The Five Eyes are the intelligence leaders of five allied countries: U.S., Canada,...more
I have the pleasure to present an advanced session on cybersecurity to tax preparers at the IRS’ National Tax Preparers Forum each year. The sessions are well attended, and I enjoy meeting attendees and talking about the...more
The use of generative AI tools, such as Chat GPT, has grown exponentially. However, many users do not understand how the technology works, and how the use of generative AI collects personal or sensitive information of users....more
BNSF Railway, previously hit with a $228 million jury award for violating the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) when collecting fingerprints of employees, was recently awarded a new trial to determine damages....more
7/10/2023
/ Biometric Information ,
Biometric Information Privacy Act ,
BNSF Railway ,
Calculation of Damages ,
Damages ,
Data Collection ,
Data Privacy ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Fingerprints ,
New Trial ,
Personal Data ,
Personally Identifiable Information
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte has signed SB 351, the Genetic Information Privacy Act (GINA), which “requires an entity to provide consumer information regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of genetic data; providing...more
CYBERSECURITY -
Chick-Fil-A Sued for Sharing Data through Meta Pixel -
While plaintiffs’ attorneys were initially focused late last year on suing health care entities for using Pixel and other tracking technology to share...more
1/27/2023
/ California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) ,
Chick-Fil-A ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Breach ,
Data Collection ,
Data Protection ,
Data-Sharing ,
Fast-Food Industry ,
Popular ,
Scams ,
Statutory Violations ,
T-Mobile ,
Web Tracking