On February 21st, the California Attorney General (AG) Rob Bonta announced a settlement with DoorDash for violations of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA) relating to its participation in a marketing co-operative.  This action represents only the second public enforcement action since the CCPA went into effect

On November 16th, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) and Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced new independent initiatives regarding the use and implications of AI technologies on consumers in the context of telephone and voice communications. Learn more about these initiatives on our sister blog, the Consumer Finance Monitor.

California continues to be at vanguard of data privacy rights.  The latest effort by California legislators to protect consumer privacy rights focuses on data brokers, who under the proposed California Senate Bill 362, aka the “Delete Act,” would be required to recognize and honor opt-out signals from Californians.  The law seeks to expand on

Earlier this month, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a $10 million settlement with the online learning company ABCmouse for allegedly violating the FTC Act as well as the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA). The FTC Act prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affective commerce. ROSCA makes it illegal to automatically

The widespread use of social media platforms make them ideal for companies trying to reach a large audience.  Pharmaceutical and consumer products industries frequently maintain their own social media accounts and partner with celebrities, physicians, patients, and “influencers”—i.e., individuals who have achieved online celebrity and whose posts reach a wide audience—to endorse their

Over the past several years, state legislatures have become more aggressive in passing laws to protect consumers’ digital rights. The promulgation of state data security and privacy laws, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act, is a prime example of this trend. Another less publicized example of state oversight of online activities is legislation regulating

The FTC has released its annual report summarizing its activity during 2017 relating to privacy and data security issues.  In its self-declared role as “the nation’s primary privacy and data security enforcer,” the FTC outlines 10 privacy cases and 4 data security cases that it brought in 2017, including Uber Technologies (transportation service), Vizio (television manufacturer), Blue Global (lead generator), Upromise (college rewards program), ACDI Group (an alleged debt buyer), TaxSlayer (tax preparation service), and D-Link (wireless routers and Internet cameras). In addition, the FTC also brought its first actions to enforce the EU-US Privacy Shield in 2017. The FTC report also described its activities relating to international enforcement, children’s privacy, and Do-Not-Call.
Continue Reading  FTC Releases Annual Privacy and Data Security Update