| New Cybersecurity Rules for Government Contractors Take Shape |
| In the past several months, new cybersecurity requirements for government contractors that are intended to establish a more uniform approach to safeguarding controlled unclassified information (CUI) have slowly taken shape. In 2010, Executive Order 13556, “Controlled Unclassified Information,” set in motion a process… |
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| UK Data Protection Authority Issues Record Fine |
| The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) recently issued two large fines for unauthorized calls, including a record-high fine of £200,000 ($302,775) against Home Energy & Lifestyle Management Ltd. The fine was the result of allegations by the ICO that the company made over 6 million unauthorized calls and.… |
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| Policyholders Lose Coverage in Data Breach Case |
| A group of Liberty Mutual insurance companies successfully obtained declaratory relief that they had no duty to defend Aspen Way Enterprises and Aaron’s Inc. from two underlying actions alleging that spyware had been installed on rent-to-own computers. One of these, the Byrd Action, was a putative class action brought by… |
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| Japan Updates Privacy Law |
| The National Diet of Japan recently passed amendments to the 2003 Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) that significantly strengthen privacy and data protection in Japan, while also opening the door to allow companies to use and sell anonymous “big data,” subject to certain specific requirements. While some of the… |
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| California Enacts Privacy Legislation Regarding Smart TV Voice-Recognition Features |
| California Governor Jerry Brown recently signed into law several requirements for manufacturers of smart TVs with voice-recognition features. A.B. 1116 prohibits operation of a smart TV’s voice recognition feature without first prominently informing the user of the feature during initial setup or installation. Conversations recorded … |
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| EU Court of Justice Kills Safe Harbor |
| The Snowden revelation that the United States conducted surveillance on citizens of other countries has had significant impact, including on the transfer of personal data from the EU to the U.S. The latest impact comes from a decision by the EU Court of Justice (ECJ) that has effectively eliminated Safe Harbor as an option for… |
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| Retailers Settle Text Lawsuit for $10M |
| Abercrombie & Fitch, Co. and Hollister Co. recently settled a class action lawsuit in which they were alleged to have sent text messages to consumers’ cell phones without the consumers’ prior express written consent, violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). According to the complaint, the defendants sent… |
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| Whole Foods Settles Background Check Dispute |
| A federal district court judge in Florida recently approved a settlement between Whole Foods Market Group, Inc. and a putative class of some 20,000 employees and prospective employees effectively ending a dispute over alleged background check notification violations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The FCRA… |
