Cybersecurity & Privacy

  • April 05, 2024

    Nationwide Optometry To Pay $3.4M Over 2021 Data Breach

    Nationwide Optometry will pay $3.4 million to a proposed class of approximately 714,000 patients whose personal information was compromised following a ransomware attack in 2021 on network servers belonging to co-defendant U.S. Vision, according to a preliminary approval motion filed in New Jersey federal court.

  • April 05, 2024

    Solar Company Hit With TCPA Suit After $13.8M FTC Fine

    Months after the Federal Trade Commission slapped lead generation firm Solar Xchange with a $13.8 million fine for sending out millions of pestering calls to people on the National Do-Not-Call Registry, one recipient of those calls has filed suit in Massachusetts federal court to seek his own recompense.

  • April 05, 2024

    Judicial Nominees On Schumer's Post-Recess To-Do List

    Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., laid out on Friday a busy agenda for when Congress returns next week, which includes confirming the president's judicial nominees.

  • April 05, 2024

    Ex-Acting Homeland Security GC Joins Nixon Peabody In DC

    Nixon Peabody LLP has hired the former acting general counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, who joins the firm after working with the agency for more than two decades and through four presidential administrations.

  • April 04, 2024

    Google Ad Privacy Class Loses Cert. Bid, For Now

    A California federal judge Thursday refused to certify a class of potentially tens of millions of Google account holders alleging the company's ad auction practices violate privacy rights, saying that while the consumers have hit many certification requirements, the current class definition is improperly fail-safe.

  • April 04, 2024

    CFPB's Privacy Efforts Extend Beyond Banks, Chopra Says

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is looking to wield its "significant" power to crack down on data privacy abuses to tackle a range of issues that go beyond traditional banking activities, including by crafting new restrictions on data brokers' ability to amass personal data and exploring risks facing consumers in the digital gaming market, the agency's head Rohit Chopra said Thursday.

  • April 04, 2024

    CFPB Says Online Games May Pose Financial Risks To Users

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Thursday that it sees significant financial and privacy risks facing consumers in the multibillion-dollar digital gaming market and will be keeping a close eye on online game and "virtual world" business practices as these platforms become increasingly financialized.

  • April 04, 2024

    SEC Officials Say Existing Policies Key To Cyber Rule Reports

    Companies grappling with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's new rule to publicly disclose material cybersecurity incidents will have an easier time defending reporting missteps if they work to put robust policies in place before a breach occurs, a pair of agency officials said Thursday. 

  • April 04, 2024

    5th Circ. Scrutinizes Data-Tracking On La. Health Provider Site

    A Fifth Circuit panel questioned Louisiana health care providers Thursday on the use of "tracking pixels" on their website, asking counsel for the providers whether a third party like Facebook could access patient records without patient permission.

  • April 04, 2024

    Oracle Gets Wiretap Claim Cut From Data Collection Fight

    A California federal judge on Wednesday trimmed a proposed class action alleging Oracle illegally sold internet users' "electronic profiles," finding that new allegations that executive Larry Ellison admitted Oracle's new technology was "scaring the lawyers" aren't enough to show tortious intent to plead a viable Electronic Communications Privacy Act claim.

  • April 04, 2024

    Ga. OB-GYN Office Hit With Data Breach Class Action

    An Atlanta OB-GYN practice has been hit with a class action in Georgia federal court over a January data breach that allegedly impacted the personal and protected health information of tens of thousands of patients.

  • April 04, 2024

    Ex-BigLaw Atty's Defamation Injunction Bid Meets Skepticism

    The Florida federal judge overseeing a $150 million defamation case between an ex-Greenberg Traurig LLP partner and a social media personality accused of mounting a harassment campaign against him declined, for now, to issue an injunction against alleged cyberstalking and indicated the petition may be better suited for state court.

  • April 04, 2024

    W.Va. Plaintiff Drops Telemarketing Claim Against Fla. Firm

    A West Virginia woman who alleged in a putative class action that law firms had bombarded her and others with unwanted legal advertising phone calls has announced a joint dismissal with one of the firms involved.

  • April 03, 2024

    FTC Won't Overlook 'Unanticipated' Harms, Slaughter Says

    The Federal Trade Commission won't hesitate to go after companies and their executives that fail to take steps to address the broad range of privacy harms and other risks that can arise from the emergence of new digital technologies, particularly in the wake of a recent federal court ruling that backed this theory, Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter said Wednesday. 

  • April 03, 2024

    Calif. Privacy Rules Expected By July, Agency's Director Says

    The California Privacy Protection Agency is eyeing July for the launch of the formal process for finalizing its last batch of regulations under the state's landmark consumer privacy law, which include rules that would give consumers more control over private information that could be used by artificial intelligence, the agency's executive director said Wednesday. 

  • April 03, 2024

    Judge Consolidates Wells Fargo Unwanted Products Suits

    A San Francisco federal judge has consolidated five suits asserting proposed class claims that the bank sought to shortchange customers who deserved compensation after they were enrolled in financial products without their knowledge.

  • April 03, 2024

    Models Get $95K Default Win In Strip Club Piracy Suit

    A Washington federal judge ordered a Seattle strip club to pay a group of professional models $95,000 in damages on Wednesday, after finding it had engaged in "amateur piracy" by using their photos without permission and failed to defend itself.

  • April 03, 2024

    Mass. Justices Leery Of Meta, Google Cookie 'Wiretap' Claims

    Justices on Massachusetts' highest court hinted on Wednesday that they are unlikely to open the door to potentially thousands of privacy lawsuits against website operators over their use of tracking cookies like Meta Pixel and others from Google Analytics, in a closely watched case over whether such trackers violate a state wiretap law.

  • April 03, 2024

    Amazon Book Scammer Can't Trim Prison Time

    The Sixth Circuit affirmed a 16-year prison sentence Tuesday for a man who scammed Amazon by renting textbooks from the e-commerce giant and then selling them at a profit, ultimately costing Amazon approximately $3.2 million.

  • April 03, 2024

    Pillsbury Adds BakerHostetler Data Privacy Duo In SF

    Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP is growing its data security team, announcing Wednesday it is bringing in a pair of BakerHostetler data privacy and technology experts as partners in its San Francisco office.

  • April 03, 2024

    FCC Says Repeat 'Slammer' Can't Collect From Victim

    The Federal Communications Commission is once again ordering Clear Rate Communications to remove charges to a subscriber who the agency says was a victim of the telecom provider's "slamming," less than two months after issuing a similar finding against the company in February.

  • April 03, 2024

    Houston Firm Ditches Proposed Data Breach Class Action

    A Texas federal judge threw out a proposed class action accusing Fleming Nolen & Jez LLP of waiting a month to disclose a cyberattack that exposed more than 100 clients' protected health information, citing the lead plaintiff's admission that she didn't even know if any of her data was compromised.

  • April 03, 2024

    FCC To Vote On Net Neutrality Plan At Late April Meeting

    The Federal Communications Commission said Wednesday the agency will vote April 25 on a Democratic proposal floated in October to restore net neutrality rules last imposed on internet services during the Obama administration, but repealed by Republicans in 2017.

  • April 02, 2024

    Crypto Co. Beats RICO But Not Fraud Claim Over $186M Hack

    A Delaware federal judge has significantly trimmed a proposed class action accusing companies behind a blockchain system that enabled users to transfer crypto of running an illegal money-transmitting business and misrepresenting the system's security measures before a $186 million hack, saying the suit's racketeering, negligence and conversion claims all fail.

  • April 02, 2024

    Calif. Regulator Urges Cos. To Only Collect Needed Data

    The California Privacy Protection Agency on Tuesday cautioned businesses to only collect or use consumers' personal information when it's needed and to avoid collecting anything beyond that, issuing its first of several planned advisories clarifying companies' obligations under the California Consumer Privacy Act.

Expert Analysis

  • How 2 CFPB Advisory Opinions Affect Reporting Agencies

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    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued two advisory opinions last month that demonstrate a continued commitment to address inaccuracies in background check reports and consumer file disclosures through broad interpretation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, expanding on a coordinated federal agency effort, say attorneys at Cooley.

  • A Close Look At The FCC's Revised SIM Card Fraud Rules

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    Carolyn Mahoney and John Seiver at Davis Wright break down recently proposed revisions to the Federal Communications Commission's customer proprietary network information and local number portability rules for wireless providers, discuss the revisions' implications on artificial intelligence regulation, and provide tips to prevent SIM swap and port-out fraud.

  • What Retailers Should Note In Calif. Web Tracking Suits

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    As retailers face a deluge of class actions alleging the use of conventional web analytic tools violate wiretapping and eavesdropping provisions of the California Invasion of Privacy Act, uncovering the path toward a narrow interpretation of the law will largely depend on how these cases proceed, say Matthew Pearson and Kareem Salem at BakerHostetler.

  • Copyright Lessons Following Ruling In Artist AI Suit

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    The recent California district court ruling in Andersen v. Stability AI — that artists needed to specify how the training of artificial intelligence tools violated their copyrights — shows that lawyers on either side of generative AI matters must carefully navigate copyright issues including temporary copying and data sourcing, says Carlos Araya at Magnolia Abogados.

  • The Legal Industry Needs A Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift

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    As law firms face ever-increasing risks of cyberattacks and ransomware incidents, the legal industry must implement robust cybersecurity measures and privacy-centric practices to preserve attorney-client privilege, safeguard client trust and uphold the profession’s integrity, says Ryan Paterson at Unplugged.

  • 5 Reasons Associates Shouldn't Take A Job Just For Money

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    As a number of BigLaw firms increase salary scales for early-career attorneys, law students and lateral associates considering new job offers should weigh several key factors that may matter more than financial compensation, say Albert Tawil at Lateral Hub and Ruvin Levavi at Power Forward.

  • SEC Registrants Likely Won't Get Cyber Disclosure Delays

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's sweeping cybersecurity disclosure final rules, its SolarWinds enforcement action and recent U.S. Department of Justice guidance show the pressure is on registrants to disclose incidents timely and accurately, but the circumstances in which an extension will be granted are extremely rare, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • Following Banking Regulators' Breadcrumbs To 2024 Priorities

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    Through blog posts, speeches, and formal guidance and regulations, prudential and other federal and state financial regulators laid out a road map last year pointing to compliance priorities that should be reflected in financial institutions' planning this year, say Laurel Loomis Rimon and Gina Shabana at Jenner & Block.

  • Directors And Officers Face Unique AI-Related Risks

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    As privacy, intellectual property and discrimination lawsuits focusing on artificial intelligence increase, corporate directors and officers must stay aware of associated risks, including those related to compliance, litigation and cybersecurity, says Jonathan Meer at Wilson Elser.

  • Series

    Playing Competitive Tennis Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My experience playing competitive tennis has highlighted why prioritizing exercise and stress relief, maintaining perspective under pressure, and supporting colleagues in pursuit of a common goal are all key aspects of championing a successful legal career, says Madhumita Datta at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • New Strain Of Web Tracking Suits Pose Risks For Retailers

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    Amid an ongoing surge of California state and federal lawsuits that are using novel theories to allege companies used certain recording technologies to illegally track website users, retailers should take steps to develop a potential argument that customers consented to any alleged uses of these devices, say attorneys at Benesch.

  • Series

    The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Djerassi On Super Bowl 52

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    Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Ramy Djerassi discusses how Super Bowl 52, in which the Philadelphia Eagles prevailed over the New England Patriots, provides an apt metaphor for alternative dispute resolution processes in commercial business cases.

  • Unraveling The Bundled Benefits Of Retail Memberships

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    The recent prevalence of paid retail memberships and the associated findings of a consumer survey suggest that assessing consumer preferences and welfare may be important when considering resolution mechanisms in antitrust contexts, say Rosa M. Abrantes-Metz at Berkeley Research Group, Mame Maloney at The Brattle Group and Jeff Brazell at the University of Utah.

  • NC TikTok Order Holds Lessons On Handling State AG Probes

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    Earlier this month, a North Carolina appeals court compelled TikTok to give the state attorney general information relating to 98,000 recorded Zoom meetings, reminding companies that successful civil litigation strategies may have the opposite effect in the state or regulatory investigation context, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • Takeaways From SEC's Aggressive Cybersecurity Moves

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's intensifying policy on cybersecurity and securities violations in the wake of a data breach — like its enforcement action against SolarWinds and its security officer — has emboldened shareholders to file related suits, creating a heightened threat to public companies, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

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