Tag archives: Privacy

FCC TCPA order partially upheld and partially set aside

Susan Ross (US)By Susan Ross (US) on Posted in Dispute resolution and litigation
Data Protection Report - digital privacy, CCPA and cybersecurity

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 … Continue Reading

EU Data Package Highlights Connections between Data Protection and the Digital Single Market

Jay Modrall (BE)By Jay Modrall (BE) on Posted in Data breach, General, Regulatory response
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

On January 10, 2017, the EU Commission published a package of documents on the EU’s data economy strategy, including e-privacy, data protection and the “European Data Economy.” The Commission documents,  published in the context of the Commission’s digital single market (“DSM”) initiative announced in May 2015, illustrate again the strong links between the EU’s digital regulatory strategy, data protection, intellectual property and antitrust policy, notably including the Commission’s preliminary report on its sector inquiry on e-commerce, also launched in May 2015.… Continue Reading

Germany court held that Facebook’s “Like” button violates privacy laws

By on Posted in Compliance and risk management

Our sister blog, Social Media Law Bulletin, just analyzed Germany’s latest ruling on retail web site Peek & Cloppenburg’s integration of Facebook’s “like” button into its site.

Our readers will be interested to learn how this rapidly growing social marketing tool is tracking users’ IP addresses, browser strings and more. The usually conservative German court predictably held that the “like” button violated users’ privacy rights.

Visit the Social Media Law Bulletin blog

Written by our South African colleagues, Nerushka Deosaran and Tatum Govender, read the Social Media Law Bulletin post, ”Facebook ‘like’ button violates privacy laws” to learn … Continue Reading

Verizon Settles FCC Privacy Investigation Over Use of “Supercookies”

By on Posted in Compliance and risk management, Regulatory response
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

The FCC announced last week that it reached a settlement with Verizon Wireless (“Verizon”) over its use of “supercookies.” More specifically, the FCC alleged that Verizon inserted unique identifiers into the headers of its customers’ HTTP requests to support its targeted advertising programs, and that customers had not consented to this practice. In this post, we analyze the settlement and some of its unique features.… Continue Reading

FTC Orders PCI DSS Compliance Reports

By on Posted in Compliance and risk management, Regulatory response
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has ordered nine companies to file Special Reports detailing how they assess their clients’ compliance with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). Payment card issuing companies require businesses that process over one million card transactions per year to undergo PCI DSS compliance assessments, or audits, performed by PCI Qualified Security Assessors (QSAs), to ensure that the businesses comply with PCI DSS and are adequately protecting their customers’ sensitive personal information. The Order includes a laundry list of requests related to the targeted companies’ PCI DSS assessment process, from the bidding for and staffing … Continue Reading

Belgian court orders Facebook to stop tracking non-members, rejects FB’s assertion of lack of jurisdiction

Marcus Evans (UK)Jay Modrall (BE)By Marcus Evans (UK) and Jay Modrall (BE) on Posted in Compliance and risk management, Dispute resolution and litigation

On November 9, 2015, the President of the Brussels Court of First Instance ordered Facebook to stop tracking non-members in Belgium without their consent. The court imposed a penalty of EUR 250,000 per day for non-compliance.

The proceeding is the result of a formal recommendation that the Belgian Privacy Commission (BPC) issued in May 2015 requesting Facebook to cease the tracking of non-users. The BPC alleged that Facebook collected information about the web browsing behavior of users who were not Facebook members by using social plug-ins and cookies, which the BPC alleged Facebook placed on users’ computers when they visited … Continue Reading

Third Circuit ruling reinstates state law privacy claims related to Google’s use of cookies

By on Posted in Compliance and risk management, Dispute resolution and litigation
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

In re: Google Inc. Cookie Placement Consumer Privacy Litigation, involves 24 consolidated lawsuits that were initially brought against several internet advertisers alleging violations of various state and federal privacy statutes, including the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the Wiretap Act and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act. In October of 2013, the District of Delaware dismissed the consolidated case, finding that “that plaintiffs have not alleged injury-in-fact sufficient to confer Article III standing” and that they had failed to “[plead] sufficient facts to establish a plausible invasion of the rights” under various statutes asserted in the complaints. However, on November … Continue Reading

Reports suggest US-EU agreement on cross-border data transfers near, but will it stick?

By on Posted in Regulatory response
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

It is being reported that the EU and the US have reached an agreement in principle on the revised cross-border data transfer framework, commonly referred to as Safe Harbor 2.0. Both sides expect further progress on the specifics in November of this year. Some of the thornier issues, however,regarding US surveillance activities, that are critical to addressing the concerns the ECJ raised in Schrems, are yet to be firmed up with verifiable compliance commitments.… Continue Reading

Five new privacy laws on tap in California

By on Posted in Regulatory response
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

This month, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law five new privacy bills that the Governor said are intended to strengthen data protections for the state’s residents. The laws, effective as of January 1, 2016, implement California’s Electronic Communications Privacy Act and amend the state’s breach notification statute, among other things.

In this post, our Data Protection, Privacy & Cybersecurity team members discuss these new laws and what they mean for companies.… Continue Reading

WP29 Issues Post-Safe Harbor Guidance

Marcus Evans (UK)Jamie Nowak (DE)Jay Modrall (BE)By Marcus Evans (UK), Jamie Nowak (DE) and Jay Modrall (BE) on Posted in General
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

The following is the statement of WP29 on the Schrems decision.  It is a short opinion that we replicated here in full.  We note that WP29 appears to suggest that model clauses and BCRs remain viable through at least January 2016, which is when WP29 would like to see the US and EU agree to a legal, political and technical solution on data transfers.  The opinion suggests coordinated enforcement by DPAs after January 2016, but it is unclear whether such enforcement will focus on Safe Harbor-certified companies alone, or will also undermine model clauses and BCRs.  We are continuing to … Continue Reading

Schrems Counterpoint: ECJ has good reasons to reject Safe Harbor invalidation

Jay Modrall (BE)Marcus Evans (UK)By Jay Modrall (BE) and Marcus Evans (UK) on Posted in Regulatory response
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) is expected to rule on Case C-362/14 (the “Schrems” case) on October 6, 2015.  In deciding whether to reject or adopt its Advocate General’s recommendation to invalidate the US-EU Safe Harbor, the ECJ finds itself between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Rejecting the Safe Harbor would lead to uncertainty in the ongoing negotiations to update the Safe Harbor framework, and raise questions about the interpretation of the proposed General Data Protection Regulation, which is currently being finalized in trialogue negotiations among the EU’s Council, Parliament and Commission.  If the … Continue Reading

European Court of Justice Advocate General’s Advisory Opinion in Schrems case questions validity of personal data transfers under EU/US Safe Harbor framework

Marcus Evans (UK)By Marcus Evans (UK) on Posted in Compliance and risk management, General
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

On September 22, 2015,  the European Court of Justice (“ECJ”) Advocate General issued an advisory Opinion in Case C-362/14 (the “Schrems” case). A key recommendation was for the ECJ to declare the EU/US Safe Harbor Agreement invalid. It remains to be seen whether the ECJ will follow this recommendation. The controversial nature of the Safe Harbor recommendation makes predicting whether the ECJ will follow the Opinion virtually impossible. A possible mitigation of the massive impact on trans-Atlantic trade such a finding would have may be that any invalidity that the ECJ identifies in its ultimate decision is met … Continue Reading

Dutch Data Protection Authority publishes consultation version of guidelines on breach notice law

Floortje Nagelkerke (NL)Nikolai de Koning (NL)By Floortje Nagelkerke (NL) and Nikolai de Koning (NL) on Posted in Compliance and risk management, Data breach
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

On the heels of the enactment of the Dutch breach notice law, the Dutch Data Protection Authority (CBP) published a consultation document with draft guidelines on the breach notice obligation of data controllers in the Netherlands. Under the law, data controllers are required to provide notice of data breaches to the CBP and, under certain circumstances, to the affected individuals. This obligation will take effect on January 1, 2016. The guidelines define a data breach as a security incident that has, or poses a significant risk of having, serious adverse consequences for the protection of personal data.… Continue Reading

Former Privacy Commissioner of Canada Jennifer Stoddard to headline a privacy event at Norton Rose Fulbright’s Montreal office

By on Posted in General
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

On September 25, 2015, Jennifer Stoddard will visit Norton Rose Fulbright in Montreal to discuss the proposed sweeping reforms to Quebec’s legislation governing access to information and protection of personal information in the public sector. These reforms include proactive publication of government information at all levels, including studies and statistics in health and education and statistics on members of professional orders. They also include proposals to publish anonymized personal information provided that re-identification risk is contained. The proposed reforms of the Quebec legislation align with calls for reform to federal legislation on the same topic. While Quebec is moving to … Continue Reading

Canada’s federal, British Columbia and Alberta privacy commissioners issue BYOD guidance

Veronique Barry (CA)By Veronique Barry (CA) on Posted in Regulatory response
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

As the line between work and home becomes increasingly blurred, the federal, British Columbia and Alberta privacy commissioners have issued joint guidelines to help organizations reduce the risks of privacy breaches with respect to employers’ data accessed from employee-owned devices (EODs), while also securing employees’ privacy rights regarding any personal information stored on EODs.… Continue Reading

The Security, Privacy and Legal Implications of the Internet of Things (“IoT”) Part one – The Context and Use of IoT

By on Posted in Compliance and risk management, Data breach
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

Disrupted, yet again. The world is fast preparing for the invasion of objects connected to the Internet, otherwise known as the Internet of Things (“IoT”).

IoT is here, and it will revolutionize how both individuals and corporations interact with the world.  In this multi-part series we will explore this quickly evolving revolution and the privacy and security legal issues and risks that corporations will have to address in order to leverage IoT and move the world into a new reality.  Part One of this series provides background and context surrounding IoT and highlights the legal issues organizations seeking to leverage … Continue Reading

Energy cybersecurity – a critical concern for the nation

By on Posted in Compliance and risk management, General, Regulatory response
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

We have long recognized that effects of cyber-attacks are not limited to the virtual space, and can affect our physical environment. For example, a stolen trade secret may lead to a competitor who copies the design, to lost sales, to lost jobs. However, the relationship between cybersecurity and physical security is far more direct and significant in the energy sector. There are many examples of devastating impacts stemming from energy infrastructure disasters, and the energy sector’s ever increasing automation and reliance on the digital world for its operations vastly increases its vulnerability to cyber-attacks. The energy sector comprises one of … Continue Reading

Ontario Court of Appeal finds patients’ common law privacy rights not preempted by statute; allows class action to proceed

By on Posted in Dispute resolution and litigation, General
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

In a recent case involving a breach of patients’ privacy rights — Hopkins v Kay,[i] — the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that a proposed class action could proceed based on allegations of violation of patients’ common law privacy rights, concluding that those rights were not preempted by the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA). Specifically, the court determined that PHIPA is not a “complete code” and therefore did not “oust” the plaintiff’s common law tort claim for breach of privacy (the tort of intrusion upon seclusion). Hopkins provides important guidance in the fields of privacy law and class … Continue Reading

German draft bill to authorize privacy “class actions”

Jamie Nowak (DE)Christoph Ritzer (DE)By Jamie Nowak (DE) and Christoph Ritzer (DE) on Posted in Compliance and risk management
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

The German government recently released a draft bill seeking to grant authority to the country’s consumer and business associations to enforce compliance with data protection laws. Because the proposed draft bill appears to have received support from the governing parties, we believe there is a high probability of the bill being enacted in the near future. Indeed, a representative of the Germany’s Ministry of Justice pointed out that the new enforcement powers are specifically aimed at foreign companies having their headquarters or operating from outside Germany, including the U.S.

Currently, consumer and business associations in Germany often pursue violations … Continue Reading

White House presses for robust sharing of cyber-threat information

Susan Ross (US)By Susan Ross (US) on Posted in Compliance and risk management, General
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

On February 13, 2015, President Obama spoke forcefully on cybersecurity threats at the Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection Summit, and signed an Executive Order designed to encourage the sharing of cyber-threat information through the formation of “hubs” – Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations (ISAOs).

The President observed that much of the United States’ critical infrastructure runs on networks connected to the Internet, resulting in vulnerabilities that foreign governments and criminals are probing every day. The President outlined four basic principles that should guide the efforts to combat cyber threats:

  • A shared mission between the private sector and the government;
  • Focus
… Continue Reading

Importance of data privacy and transparency in the UK highlighed by Investigatory Powers Tribunal decision

Marcus Evans (UK)By Marcus Evans (UK) on Posted in General
Data Protection Report - Norton Rose Fulbright

A recent landmark ruling from the UK’s Investigatory Powers Tribunal has highlighted the growing importance the UK courts place on data privacy and transparency. It is the first occasion that the Investigatory Powers Tribunal has upheld part of a complaint against the intelligence agencies since it was set up in 2000.

On February 6, 2015 the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, a special forum for investigating and resolving complaints relating to the use of covert techniques by public authorities, released a second judgment in the case of Liberty v The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs[1]. The case … Continue Reading

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