FTC Proposes Significant and Sweeping Changes to COPPA and Requests Public Comment

On January 11, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) published its Notice of Proposed Rule Making (“NPRM”) seeking to update the FTC’s Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”) Rule in the Federal Register.  Among other things, the proposed changes would require more granular privacy notices, require fairly detailed identification of, and parental consent to, third-party data sharing (including targeted advertising), expand the scope of personal information subject to COPPA, make it easier for parents to provide consent via text message, clarify various requirements around EdTech, including school authorization for parental consent, and impose significant new programmatic information security and data retention requirements.

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FTC’s New Biometric Policy Statement Articulates New Governance Standards and an Expansive View of Biometric Data

On May 18, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued its 2023 Policy Statement on Biometric Information and Section 5 of the FTC Act (the “Policy Statement”) describing the agency’s concerns about these fast-proliferating technologies and articulating a set of compliance obligations for businesses that develop or use biometric technologies.  To address potential risks of bias, discrimination, and security associated with the collection or use of biometric information, the FTC wants businesses to, among other things, conduct pre-release risk assessments evaluating the potential for bias and other potential consumer harms, assess these risks on an ongoing basis, and evaluate and potentially audit third parties with access to a business’s biometric data.

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EU-U.S. Adequacy Once Again

On July 10, 2023, the European Commission issued its Final Implementing Decision granting the U.S. adequacy (“Adequacy Decision”) with respect to companies that subscribe to the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (“DPF”).

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FemTech Has Been Warned: UK’s ICO Indicates Closer Scrutinization of FemTech Apps

On 4 April 2023, John Edwards, the UK’s Information Commissioner, stated that the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) would be “going after providers of women’s health apps and auditing them, and getting them to change any practices that are non-compliant.” Speaking at the IAPP Global Privacy Summit in Washington DC, the Information Commissioner indicated that this proposed strategy forms part of the ICO’s new “agile” initiative, which will focus on “areas of vulnerability, targeting…intervention [where] that has the greatest impact”.

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New FTC Guidance for Mobile Health Apps

Healthcare providers, health plans, and technology companies that use mobile health apps to access, collect, share, use, or maintain information related to an individual’s health should take note of the recently issued Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Mobile Health App Interactive Tool. The purpose of the tool is to help mobile health developers determine the federal regulatory, privacy, and security laws and regulations that may apply to the use of a consumer’s health information, such as information related to diagnosis, treatment, fitness, wellness, or addiction. While the tool should not be considered legal advice and cannot guarantee compliance with legal requirements, it can help healthcare providers, health plans, and technology companies issue-spot to manage risk in this heavily regulated space.

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Drizly FTC Order Introduces Significant Minimization, Deletion and Retention Requirements

On October 24, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued an order (the “Order”) against the online alcohol marketplace, Drizly, and its CEO, James Cory Rellas, alleging security failures that resulted in a data breach exposing the personal information of approximately 2.5 million consumers. In reaching this conclusion, the FTC alleges that Drizly failed to implement reasonable safeguards to protect the personal information it collected and stored, such as, two-factor authentication for GitHub, access controls for personal data, sufficient written security policies, and appropriate employee training regarding security.

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Meru Data Podcast Features Sidley Associate Lauren Kitces

Sidley associate Lauren Kitces was featured on Simplify For Success, a podcast series presented by Meru Data and hosted by Priya Keshav. Lauren discussed FTC’s proposed rulemaking regarding data privacy and data security, and shared her thoughts on how to prepare for the FTC enforcement.

FTC Defends Expansive Privacy and Data Security ANPR at Public Forum

The FTC continues its defense of the wide-reaching Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) on “Commercial Surveillance and Data Security” that the Commission, by a 3-2 vote, issued in August. (See the supporting statements of Chair Lina Khan and Commissioners Rebecca Slaughter, and Alvaro Bedoya, and the dissenting statements of Commissioners Christine Wilson and Noah Phillips.)

On Thursday, September 8, the FTC hosted a public forum on the notice, featuring remarks by Chair Khan, Commissioner Bedoya, and panels featuring guests representing industry and consumer interests. (more…)

FTC ANPR Explores Wide Ranging Topics for Privacy and Cybersecurity Rulemaking

On Thursday, August 11, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced that it is exploring rules to crack down on harmful commercial surveillance and lax data security practices.  The FTC’s Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“ANPR”) solicits public comment on whether it should put into effect new rules and restrictions concerning standards and requirements for information security, the ways in which companies collect and process data in commercial contexts, and whether any practices related to the transfer, sharing, selling, or other monetization of personal information should be categorized as unfair or deceptive.  The FTC voted 3-2 to publish the notice, with Chair Khan and Commissioners Slaughter and Bedoya voting in favor and issuing separate statements.  Commissioners Phillips and Wilson voted against publication and also issued separate dissenting statements.  The following Monday, Commissioner Phillips announced he would be leaving the FTC this fall.

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Suits Against Google Signal Increased ‘Dark Patterns’ Scrutiny

*This article first appeared on Law360 on June 16, 2022

Pending lawsuits against Google LLC illustrate how regulators and plaintiffs lawyers are increasingly wielding a dark patterns theory in challenging companies’ practices involving consumers.

The attorneys general of Washington, D.C., Washington state, Texas and Indiana all filed complaints against Google, alleging that the company tricks consumers into providing their location data, on Jan. 24. (more…)