Posted in Data breach
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) plans to issue an advance notice of proposed rulemaking this November on potentially sharing HIPAA breach settlements with victims.
The UK NIS Regulations (implementing the NIS Directive) come into force in the UK today (10 May 2018). These Regulations have received limited press attention, in part due to the emphasis that has been placed on GDPR implementation. However, the NIS Regulations represent a significant change in the legal environment relating to cybersecurity in the UK. Continue reading
Posted in Regulatory response
On April 30, 2018, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released for public comment an administrative complaint and proposed consent agreement with mobile phone manufacturer BLU Products Inc. and its owner and president. Although the FTC has entered into many settlements relating to privacy and data security, this proposed settlement is particularly noteworthy for two reasons: (1) the FTC allegation that a company’s failure to implement appropriate security procedures to oversee a vendor’s security practices (including a lack of vendor due diligence) can violate Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act; and (2) the proposed remedy includes a separate notice and affirmative opt-in consent relating to collection, use, and sharing of certain consumer information. BLU does not admit or deny any of the FTC’s allegations. Continue reading
Posted in Compliance and risk management
On Thursday, April 26, 2018, the Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed a data breach protection bill that strengthens consumer protections after security breaches involving consumer credit reporting agencies. If passed, the proposed legislation would amend Massachusetts’s current breach notification law. The bill aims to help consumers protect their sensitive information before, during, and after a data breach.
Posted in Compliance and risk management
A little more than one month from implementation of GDPR, companies may be tempted to relax and exhale (and if GDPR is still causing you headaches, consult our checklist). After all, the U.S. couldn’t be crazy enough to implement something as onerous and difficult, right? RIGHT?!?
Enter California, which appears likely to place an initiative on the November 2018 ballot that could bring some familiar aspects of GDPR to the sixth largest economy in the world. The proposed initiative, the Consumer Right to Privacy Act of 2018 (the “CRPA”), still needs to obtain the necessary signatures to appear on the ballot and then be passed by a majority of California voters. However, given the high profile data misuse and breach stories in the news over the past several months, the possible passage of the initiative must be taken seriously. Continue reading
Posted in Compliance and risk management
On April 16, 2018, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) unveiled Version 1.1 of its widely known Cybersecurity Framework, which incorporates changes based on feedback collected through comments, questions, and workshops held in 2016 and 2017. Continue reading
Posted in Data breach
As of November 1, 2018, organizations across Canada subject to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) will be required to provide notice of certain privacy breaches.
Through an Order in Council, the Federal Government has announced that previous PIPEDA breach notification amendments will come into force this November.
On March 8, 2018, the Ninth Circuit issued its highly anticipated decision in In re Zappos.com, Inc., finding that allegations of future risk of identity theft from a data breach are sufficient to confer standing. This decision fuels an ongoing circuit split, pitting the D.C., Sixth, Seventh and now Ninth Circuits against the Second, Fourth, and Eighth Circuits over whether the mere exposure of personal information – without actual identity theft or credit/debit card fraud – establishes Article III standing. Continue reading
Posted in Dispute resolution and litigation
On March 16, 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued its decision on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) omnibus order of 2015, relating to challenges to four of the FCC’s determinations relating to cell phones. The appellate court upheld the FCC’s determinations that consumers can revoke consent to receive marketing calls by “any reasonable means” that clearly expresses the desire to receive no further messages from the caller, and an exception for certain “emergency” healthcare-related calls. On the other hand, the court set aside the FCC’s decision regarding the definition of an “automatic telephone dialing system” (ATDS), and how callers can deal with reassigned numbers where the previous owner had consented to receive marketing calls. Continue reading
On 1 February 2018, Singapore Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) released its response to feedback on its public consultation on approaches to managing personal data in the digital economy, which took place in Q3 2017 (the Public Consultation). The purpose of the Public Consultation, was to seek public feedback on proposed changes to Singapore’s data protection regime, the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). The key proposed changes to the PDPA include the relaxation of the consent requirement to collect, use and disclose personal data in Singapore and the introduction of a mandatory data breach notification regime.
We set out below a summary of the key points that you should know about the public feedback and PDPC’s response.
