Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

In a ruling published May, 4, the Federal District Court of Idaho granted defendant data broker Kochava’s motion to dismiss a complaint filed by the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”).  In its complaint, the FTC alleged that Kochava’s sale of precise consumer geolocation data constituted an unfair act or practice in violation of Section 5 of

2022 proved to be an historic year for privacy and data security.  Connecticut and Utah joined the list of states that have now passed comprehensive data privacy laws, bringing the total to five (5) states.  For the first time, federal privacy legislation advanced to a House Subcommittee, and though the American Data Privacy and Protection

On November 15, 2022, the FTC announced that it was extending by six months the deadline for companies to comply with some portions of the updated Safeguards Rule. The extension comes as a welcome relief to companies racing to meet the rapidly nearing effective date.

The FTC approved changes to the longstanding Safeguards Rule in

In a recent enforcement action against online alcohol delivery service Drizly and its CEO, James Rellas, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) made clear its focus on data minimization and limitations on the secondary uses of data. Although the action arose out of a common security failure—the sort that has been the subject of numerous prior

In an active week for federal regulators, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) joined the CFPB in announcing important initiatives that may change privacy and data security practices in major ways.

On August 11, the FTC released its Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, seeking public input on a host of questions relating to what it

The last few months have seen a flurry of new federal cybersecurity incident reporting requirements and proposals impacting private entities in the financial sector. As the number and frequency of cyber attacks continue to grow, regulators have attempted to enhance cybersecurity protections via increased and more rigid incident reporting obligations, leading to a constantly shifting

In a series of recent statements and releases, Lina Khan, the Chair of the FTC, made clear the Commission’s intention to revamp its oversight of consumer data privacy and establish more substantive limits on commercial data collection and processing activities. This plan is motivated in part by the increased adoption of workplace surveillance technologies as well as the “growing recognition that the ‘notice-and-consent’ framework” traditionally used by U.S. businesses may not be sufficient to protect consumer and employee rights. Chairperson Khan hopes to obtain additional funding to help recruit the talent required to develop this new framework, which is designed to bring the FTC “in line with similar agencies internationally.” However, the FTC plans to update its approach to “keep pace with new learning and technological shifts” regardless of whether funding is ultimately obtained. 
Continue Reading  FTC Chair Announces New Privacy Approach

On September 15, 2021, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued a policy statement affirming the applicability of its Health Breach Notification Rule (the “Rule”), 16 CFR Part 318, to health apps and connected devices that are not subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) but are capable of drawing information from multiple sources.
Continue Reading  FTC Guidance Affirms Breach Notification Obligations for Health Apps and Connected Devices

On April 29, 2021, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) hosted a virtual workshop, entitled “Bringing Dark Patterns to Light,” to examine “dark patterns.” In her opening remarks, Acting FTC Chairwoman Rebecca Kelly Slaughter broadly described “dark patterns” as “user interface designs that manipulate consumers into taking unintended actions that may not be in their interest.” Chairwoman Slaughter highlighted several examples of dark patterns, including confusing cancellation procedures that force users to navigate multiple screens, online applications that hide the material terms of a product or service through the use of inconspicuous drop down links and auto-scroll features, and the addition of products to users’ shopping carts without their knowledge or consent.
Continue Reading  FTC Workshop Signals Increased Regulatory Focus on Dark Patterns