Cybersecurity & Privacy

  • 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.

  • April 02, 2024

    Amazon Driver Took, Shared Pics of Actor's Home, Suit Says

    Actor Deon Cole sued Amazon in California state court alleging that one of its delivery drivers took photos of the inside of his home and shared them in a group chat while dropping off groceries, saying Amazon negligently and recklessly hired the driver.

  • April 02, 2024

    Citi Says 'Misguided' NY Fraud Protection Suit 'Mangles' Law

    Citibank NA on Tuesday urged a New York federal court to throw out the Empire State attorney general's suit claiming it lacks necessary online security measures, slamming the complaint as "misguided" and arguing that it "mangles" the text of the Electronic Fund Transfer Act.

  • April 02, 2024

    DC Circ. Says FCC Must Rethink Terms For Chinese Video Ban

    The D.C. Circuit ordered the Federal Communications Commission to revise its definition of "critical infrastructure," but still upheld the agency's decision to ban the marketing and sale of video surveillance equipment from two Chinese manufacturers in a new ruling Tuesday.

  • April 02, 2024

    DC Judge Grapples With Malice Claim In Nunes' WaPo Suit

    A D.C. federal judge on Tuesday questioned whether former California Rep. Devin Nunes had shown The Washington Post acted with actual malice in publishing a 2020 article that discussed the congressman, as the judge weighed the newspaper's bid for summary judgment in defamation litigation brought by Nunes.

  • April 02, 2024

    Jon Stewart Reveals Apple's Heavy Hand In Lina Khan Chat

    Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan appeared on "The Daily Show" on Monday night for a wide-ranging conversation in which host Jon Stewart revealed that Apple wouldn't allow him to speak with her on a podcast related to his Apple TV+ show.

  • April 02, 2024

    IT Firm Decries Commerce's 'Unilateral' $1.5B Award Redo

    An IT consulting firm told the Federal Circuit on Monday that its right to challenge a $1.5 billion U.S. Commerce Department procurement in the claims court was undermined when the agency took corrective action before seeking permission from the court.

  • April 02, 2024

    Amazon App Users Win Class Cert. For BIPA Claims

    An Illinois federal judge has granted class certification to consumers who allege Amazon's virtual try-on technology violates the Prairie State's biometric privacy law.

  • April 02, 2024

    3rd Circ. Preview: Black Lung, Back Pay On Tap In April

    The Third Circuit this month will consider Keystone Coal Mining Co.'s contention that a lower court erred in deeming a miner's black lung a "total disability," while a shuttered rehabilitation facility has asked the court to undo the National Labor Relations Board's determination that it owes unionized employees back pay and bonuses for work done during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • April 02, 2024

    Calif. Bill Would Provide After-Hours 'Right To Disconnect'

    A California state lawmaker has introduced a first-of-its-kind bill that would give workers the right to ignore emails, text messages and phone calls from their employers after they clock out.

  • April 02, 2024

    Fanatics Exec To Take Stand In DraftKings Noncompete Suit

    A Boston federal judge said Tuesday she expects a former DraftKings executive to testify later this month in a hearing to sort out competing narratives and allegations of corporate espionage related to his abrupt departure to work for rival sportsbook Fanatics.

  • April 02, 2024

    Feds Seek 4 Years For Ex-Amazon Coder In Novel Crypto Case

    Prosecutors have told a Manhattan federal judge that a former Amazon coder convicted on charges of hacking a "smart contract" should be sentenced to at least four years in prison in order to send a message to other would-be crypto fraudsters.

  • April 02, 2024

    Ga. Children's Hospital Accused Of Mining Patient Data

    A major Georgia pediatric healthcare system has been using web data trackers to illegally transmit confidential patient data to Facebook and other companies to boost its bottom line, according to a proposed class action filed in the Peach State on Tuesday.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    In The CFPB Playbook: Rulemaking Rush Before Election Year

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    In this quarterly Consumer Financial Protection Bureau activity recap by former bureau personnel, attorneys at McGuireWoods explain the regulator's recent push to finalize new rules about data aggregators, digital payment apps and more before the election-year Congressional Review Act window opens.

  • Ill. BIPA Ruling May Spark Violation-Of-Law Exclusion Fight

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    An Illinois appeals court's recent holding in National Fire Insurance v. Visual Pak that a violation-of-law exclusion didn't preclude coverage for an underlying Biometric Information Privacy Act suit contradicts an earlier Seventh Circuit decision that aligns with long-standing insurance law principles — which may lead the state's high court to weigh in, says Tae Andrews at Pasich.

  • 5 Privacy And Cybersecurity Resolutions For 2024

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    In 2023, companies grappled with an unprecedented array of data privacy and cybersecurity challenges that are likely to continue in 2024, meaning businesses will be well-served to incorporate strategies, such as data governance and website configuration, into their compliance programs, say Steven Stransky at Thompson Hine and Violet Sullivan at Crum & Forster.

  • What The Law Firm Of The Future Will Look Like

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    As the legal landscape shifts, it’s become increasingly clear that the BigLaw business model must adapt in four key ways to remain viable, from fostering workplace flexibility to embracing technology, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.

  • 4 PR Pointers When Your Case Is In The News

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    Media coverage of new lawsuits exploded last year, demonstrating why defense attorneys should devise a public relations plan that complements their legal strategy, incorporating several objectives to balance ethical obligations and advocacy, say Nathan Burchfiel at Pinkston and Ryan June at Castañeda + Heidelman.

  • Shopify Ruling May Support Personal-Jurisdiction Defenses

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    Litigators, cybersecurity practitioners and web-based entities should all take note of the Ninth Circuit’s recent ruling in Briskin v. Shopify, as it could lend significant support to personal-jurisdiction defenses, but such entities should still consider how their operations might tie them to certain states, say John Gray and Patrick McCormick at Lewis Roca.

  • Series

    Texas Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q4

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    Among the most noteworthy developments in the Texas banking sphere in the last quarter of 2023 were the Texas Department of Banking's extension of the state banking commissioner's authority, a recommendation to implement an updated ransomware self-assessment tool, and ongoing litigation in the state involving the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, says Patrick Hanchey at Alston & Bird.

  • 6 AI Cases And What They Mean For Copyright Law

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    Artificial intelligence cases filed last year, some decided and others pending, demonstrate how the appellate courts that set binding precedent look at the intersection between copyright and AI, so legal frameworks must adapt and provide clarity in order to foster innovation, protect creators, and ensure fair and equitable outcomes, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • Cybersecurity Issues For Financial Industry To Track In 2024

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    In 2024 financial institutions will confront new federal, state and industry regulations around cybersecurity that require additional procedures, enhanced proactive security measures, and timely disclosure of security incidents, say Alex Koskey and Matt White at Baker Donelson.

  • How AI Is Changing The Game Of Professional Sports

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    As more professional sports teams and organizations employ the use of artificial intelligence, counsel should keep a critical eye on several legal issues, including both state and federal regulatory developments, data privacy concerns, and how AI tools could potentially affect applicable intellectual property rights, say attorneys at Squire Patton.

  • What To Expect From The CFPB This Year

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    The potential for upheaval at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will be greater during an election year, and there are several opportunities and challenges ahead for the bureau in 2024, say Eric Mogilnicki and David Stein at Covington.

  • Law Firm Strategies For Successfully Navigating 2024 Trends

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    Though law firms face the dual challenge of external and internal pressures as they enter 2024, firms willing to pivot will be able to stand out by adapting to stakeholder needs and reimagining their infrastructure, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Consultants.

  • 10 Privacy Compliance Areas To Focus On In 2024

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    The fast pace of change in the cybersecurity realm means reactive approaches to new laws, regulations and enforcement actions are not effective ways to build or scale privacy programs, so companies should plan strategically and prepare for a few emerging risks and requirements in the first half of this year, says Sam Castic at Hintze Law.

  • The Most-Read Legal Industry Law360 Guest Articles Of 2023

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    A range of legal industry topics drew readers' attention in Law360's Expert Analysis section this year, from associate retention strategies to ethical billing practices.

  • Artificial Intelligence Is In Need Of Regulation — But How?

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    Since most of the artificial intelligence-related laws in 2023 were part of more extensive consumer privacy law, the U.S. still has a lot of work to do to build consensus on how to oversee AI, and even who should do the regulating, before moving forward on specific and reasonable guidelines as AI's capabilities grow, say Nick Toufexis and Paul Saputo at Saputo Toufexis.

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