Federal Trade Commission Hosts Panels Related to Consumer Privacy and Data Security at PrivacyCon
This summer, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) hosted its sixth annual PrivacyCon, an event focused on the latest research and trends related to consumer privacy and data security. This years’ event was divided into six panels: Algorithms; Privacy Considerations and Understandings; Adtech; Internet of Things; Privacy-Children and Teens; and, Privacy and the Pandemic. Welcoming attendees and kicking off the event, Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter called for minimization of data abuses and for a move away from the notice and consent model of privacy in favor of data minimization. PrivacyCon topics are selected by the FTC and often seen as an indication of enforcement priorities. (more…)
European Commission Publishes Details of its Forthcoming Data Act
The European Commission has formally launched its legislative initiative aimed at increasing access to and further use of data, so that more public and private actors can benefit from technologies such as Big Data and machine learning. The Commission has published its inception impact assessment on the forthcoming Data Act, on which interested stakeholders can submit comments until 25 June 2021. In parallel, the Commission has launched a public consultation for the legislative initiative, to be conducted by an online questionnaire, with a deadline of 3 September 2021. Feedback will be taken into account for further development and fine tuning of the initiative to be tabled in Q3-Q4 2021.
U.S. Department of Transportation Issues Third Round of Guidance on Automated Vehicles
Rapid advances in automation have the potential to disrupt a number of sectors, perhaps none more so than the automobile industry. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has accordingly announced its intention to take “active steps to prepare for the future by engaging with new technologies to ensure safety without hampering innovation.” Most recently, on October 4, 2018, DOT issued Preparing for the Future of Transportation: Automated Vehicles 3.0 (AV 3.0), its third round of guidance on the topic. Like its 2017 predecessor, “Automated Driving Systems 2.0: A Vision for Safety,” AV 3.0 emphasizes the development of voluntary, consensus-based technical standards and approaches while noting that there are cross-cutting policy issues where federal leadership may be necessary. AV 3.0 also builds on its predecessors by emphasizing that it reflects the view of all of DOT’s operating administrations; by providing much more detailed guidance on the development and testing of automated vehicle technologies; and by announcing some specific regulatory steps DOT plans to take in the near future. (more…)
Developing IoT Policy from California to Washington, D.C.
The growing network of internet of things (IoT) devices is expected to reach 30 billion devices by 2020. Despite this tremendous growth, the state of IoT regulation is patchwork at best. Although the FTC is the primary security regulator for consumer IoT devices, there are no comprehensive regulations or laws specific to the unique challenges of the IoT market. This absence of clear and unambiguous standards can be a burden for IoT companies who are looking to innovate while maintaining their customers’ privacy. (more…)
After LabMD, Questions Remain for the Healthcare Sector
*This article first appeared in the July 2018 issue of Digital Health Legal
Massive data breaches. Threats to medical devices. The Internet of Persons. Healthcare entities are all too familiar with the rising cyber threat. But they are also familiar with the complex array of laws and regulations in the United States that attempt to address the threat and the potentially significant compliance costs and risks caused by that complexity. The US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit’s recent and long-awaited decision in LabMD v. Federal Trade Commission, which trimmed the sails of one of the primary regulators of the healthcare information security landscape, may thus appear to some, at first blush, to be a necessary corrective. Yet closer inspection shows that the Eleventh Circuit’s decision raises more questions than it answers – and that its true implications will only become clear once we see how federal regulators, the courts, and perhaps Congress respond.
GDPR Day is Here!
Whether you are marking today with a glass of champagne, a shot of whiskey, or a hot cup of tea, today marks a significant day for privacy professionals world-wide.
Here’s to all of the privacy professionals who have put in so many hours to prepare for the GDPR, fully effective as of Friday May 25, 2018 at midnight in Brussels; that is 6 PM eastern on Thursday, May 24th for toasting purposes.
For business executives, policymakers, and consumers who have become aware of the GDPR in recent weeks and are interested in learning more, visit our GDPR resource page here.
Internet of Toys Enforcement: VTech Agrees to COPPA Settlement
On January 8, the FTC announced a settlement with VTech (a maker of electronic children’s toys) for violations of COPPA, adding to the regulatory activity mounting in the last few years around the Internet of Toys. The company agreed to pay $650,000 to settle allegations that its Kid Connect app and its Learning Lodge platform collected personal information from almost 3,000,000 children without providing direct notice and obtaining their parent or guardian’s consent. (more…)
Privacy and Cybersecurity Top 10 for 2018
This past year was marked by ever more significant data breaches, growing cybersecurity regulatory requirements at the state and federal levels and continued challenges in harmonizing international privacy and cybersecurity regulations. We expect each of these trends to continue in 2018.
As we begin this New Year, here is list of the top 10 privacy and cybersecurity issues for 2018: (more…)
Hong Kong to Further Regulate Drones
With the rise in drone usage for both commercial and recreational activities, air safety regulators around the world have increasingly focused on the impact of drones (otherwise known as unmanned aircraft systems or UAS) on flight safety and efficiency. Consistent with calls by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for more oversight, Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department (CAD) recently announced plans to step up the regulation of commercial and recreational drones.
Jamaica’s New Privacy Protection Bill
On 10 October 2017, Jamaica introduced into its House of Parliament a comprehensive Bill for privacy and data protection, entitled “An Act to Protect the Privacy of Certain Data and for Connected Matters.” The new law would cover personal data, including data in an “accessible record” such as a health record or an educational record. If passed, the new law will be named the “Data Protection Act, 2017.” (more…)
