In June, the Federal Trade Commission released a new guide for businesses on implementing sound data security protections and procedures. In “Protecting Personal Information: A Guide For Business,” the FTC offers “10 practical lessons” based on the numerous enforcement actions brought by the FTC. The guide offers insight into the thinking of this key federal […]
Online Privacy
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Allows Wikimedia Upstream Suit to Proceed
On May 23, 2017, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its opinion on Wikimedia foundation v. NSA/CSS. The Court vacated and remanded the NSA’s previously successful motion to dismiss Wikimedia’s Fourth and First Amendment claims against the NSA’s Upstream surveillance program, while a 2-1 majority upheld the dismissal of the eight other organizations joined […]
May 30 is Fast Approaching – Are You Ready for Compliance with the Amended Act on Protection of Personal Information in Japan?
Japan’s Act on Protection of Personal Information currently in force (“Current APPI”) dates back to 2003. It was originally enacted on May 30, 2003, and came into effect in 2005. Ten years later, the National Diet passed extensive reforms to modernize the Current APPI in September, 2015. Although the Amended Act on Protection of Personal […]
Smart Television Manufacturer Settles by Paying $ 2.2 Million to the FTC and the State of New Jersey
The FTC and the State of New Jersey recently announced a settlement with Vizio, Inc., in the amount of $2.2 million for tracking consumer behavior using its smart television devices. The complaint alleged that Vizio acted unfairly by collecting, storing (indefinitely) and sharing consumer data with third parties without consent and in an unexpected manner. […]
ECJ Declares IP Addresses are Personal Data
Today, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) issued its long-awaited decision in Breyer v. Germany. Breyer addresses the question of whether IP addresses are “personal data” for purposes of EU data protection law. As is widely known, personal data is any information that would permit a particular individual to be identified, whether directly or in […]