Privacy & Information Security Law Blog

On August 6, 2018, the Federal Trade Commission published a notice seeking public comment on whether the FTC should expand its enforcement power over corporate privacy and data security practices. The notice, published in the Federal Register, follows FTC Chairman Joseph Simons’ declaration at a July 18 House subcommittee hearing that the FTC’s current authority to do so, under Section 5 of the FTC Act, is inadequate to deal with the privacy and security issues in today’s market.

On August 3, 2018, California-based Unixiz Inc. (“Unixiz”) agreed to shut down its “i-Dressup” website pursuant to a consent order with the New Jersey Attorney General, which the company entered into to settle charges that it violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”) and the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. The consent order also requires Unixiz to pay a civil penalty of $98,618.

On June 27, 2018, the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China published the Draft Regulations on the Classified Protection of Cybersecurity (网络安全等级保护条例（征求意见稿）) (“Draft Regulation”) and is seeking comments from the public by July 27, 2018.

Recently, the Personal Data Collection and Protection Ordinance (“the Ordinance”) was introduced to the Chicago City Council. The Ordinance would require businesses to (1) obtain prior opt-in consent from Chicago residents to use, disclose or sell their personal information; (2) notify affected Chicago residents and the City of Chicago in the event of a data breach; (3) register with the City of Chicago if they qualify as “data brokers”; (4) provide specific notification to mobile device users for location services; and (5) obtain prior express consent to use geolocation data from mobile applications.

On June 12, 2018, Vietnam’s parliament approved a new cybersecurity law  that contains data localization requirements, among other obligations. Technology companies doing business in the country will be required to operate a local office and store information about Vietnam-based users within the country. The law also requires social media companies to remove offensive content from their online service within 24 hours at the request of the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Public Security’s cybersecurity task force. Companies could face ...

On May 31, 2018, the Federal Trade Commission published on its Business Blog a post addressing the easily missed data deletion requirement under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”).

On May 2, 2018, the Belgian Privacy Commission (the “Belgian DPA”) published its Annual Activity Report for 2017 (the “Annual Report”), highlighting its main accomplishments for the past year.

On April 27, 2018, the Federal Trade Commission issued two warning letters to foreign marketers of geolocation tracking devices for violations of the U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”). The first letter was directed to a Chinese company, Gator Group, Ltd., that sold the “Kids GPS Gator Watch” (marketed as a child’s first cellphone); the second was sent to a Swedish company, Tinitell, Inc., marketing a child-based app that works with a mobile phone worn like a watch. Both products collect a child’s precise geolocation data, and the Gator Watch includes geofencing “safe zones.”  

The U.S. Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) has unsealed an indictment accusing nine Iranian nationals of engaging in a “massive and brazen cyber assault” against at least 176 universities, 47 private companies and 7 government agencies and non-governmental organizations, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”). According to the DOJ, the nationals worked for Mabna Institute, an Iranian-based company, as “hackers for hire,” stealing login credentials and other sensitive information to sell within Iran and for the benefit of the Iranian government.

On February 5, 2018, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced its most recent Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”) case against Explore Talent, an online service marketed to aspiring actors and models. According to the FTC’s complaint, Explore Talent provided a free platform for consumers to find information about upcoming auditions, casting calls and other opportunities. The company also offered a monthly fee-based “pro” service that promised to provide consumers with access to specific opportunities. Users who registered online were asked to input a host of personal information including full name, email, telephone number, mailing address and photo; they also were asked to provide their eye color, hair color, body type, measurements, gender, ethnicity, age range and birth date.

Recently, the FTC and FCC announced their intent to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) under which the agencies would coordinate their efforts following the adoption of the Restoring Internet Freedom Order (the “Order”). As we previously reported, if adopted, the Order would repeal the rules put in place by the FCC in 2015 that prohibit high-speed internet service providers (“ISPs”) from stopping or slowing down the delivery of websites and from charging customers extra fees for high-quality streaming and other services. 

Recently, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai released a draft of the Restoring Internet Freedom Order (the “Order”). If adopted, the Order would repeal the rules put in place by the FCC in 2015 that prohibit high-speed internet service providers (“ISPs”) from stopping or slowing down the delivery of websites and from charging customers extra fees for high-quality streaming and other services.

On November 8, 2017, Sears Holding Management Corporation (“Sears”) requested that the FTC reopen and modify a 2009 Commission Order (the “Order”) settling charges that Sears inadequately disclosed the scope of consumer data collected through the company’s software application. The initial FTC complaint alleged that Sears represented to consumers that its downloadable software application would track users’ “online browsing,” but in fact tracked nearly all of the users’ Internet behavior. Sears petitioned the FTC to modify the Order’s definition of ...

On October 23, 2017, the Federal Trade Commission issued a policy enforcement statement providing additional guidance on the applicability of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (“COPPA Rule”) to the collection of children’s audio voice recordings. The FTC previously updated the COPPA Rule in 2013, adding voice recordings to the definition of personal information, which led to questions about how the COPPA Rule would be enforced against organizations who collect a child’s voice recording for the sole purpose of issuing a command or request.

On September 29, 2017, Samanage USA, Inc. (“Samanage”), a North Carolina-based technology company that provided cloud-based IT support services as a subcontractor for Vermont’s health care exchange (“Vermont Health Connect”), agreed to a $264,000 settlement with the Vermont Attorney General in relation to a breach that exposed the Social Security numbers of 660 Vermont Health Connect users.

On August 11, 2017, the FTC published the fourth blog post in its “Stick with Security” series. As we previously reported, the FTC will publish an entry every Friday for the next few months focusing on each of the 10 principles outlined in its Start with Security Guide for Businesses. This week’s post, entitled Stick with Security: Require secure passwords and authentication, examines five effective security measures companies can take to safeguard their computer networks.

On May 12, 2017, a massive ransomware attack began affecting tens of thousands of computer systems in over 100 countries. The ransomware, known as “WannaCry,” leverages a Windows vulnerability and encrypts files on infected systems and demands payment for their release. If payment is not received within a specified time frame, the ransomware automatically deletes the files. A wide range of industries have been impacted by the attack, including businesses, hospitals, utilities and government entities around the world.

On April 3, 2017, President Trump signed a bill which nullifies the Broadband Consumer Privacy Rules (the "Rules") promulgated by the FCC in October 2016. The Rules largely had not yet taken effect. In a statement, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai praised the elimination of the Rules, noting that, “in order to deliver that consistent and comprehensive protection, the Federal Communications Commission will be working with the Federal Trade Commission to restore the FTC’s authority to police Internet service providers’ privacy practices.” ...

On March 28, 2017, the French Data Protection Authority (“CNIL”) published its Annual Activity Report for 2016 (the “Report”) and released its annual inspection program for 2017.

On March 17, 2017, the Federal Trade Commission announced that Upromise, Inc., (“Upromise”) agreed to pay $500,000 to settle allegations (the “Settlement”) that it violated the terms of a 2012 consent order (the “2012 Order”) that required Upromise to provide notice to consumers regarding its data collection and use practices, and obtain third-party audits.

On March 3, 2017, the FTC announced the results of a study about online businesses’ use of proper email authentication technology to prevent phishing attacks. The study’s sample included 569 large online businesses with strong ties to the U.S. The FTC found that 86 percent of those businesses use Sender Policy Framework—an email authentication technology that enables Internet Service Providers (“ISPs”) to determine whether an email is from a legitimate source (e.g., whether an email that claims to be from a business’s domain in fact came from the business).

On March 1, 2017, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”), under the new leadership of Chairman Ajit Pai, voted 2-1 to issue a temporary stay of the data security obligations of the FCC’s Broadband Consumer Privacy Rules (the “Rules”), which were to go into effect March 2, 2017. The temporary stay will remain in place until the FCC is able to act on pending petitions for reconsideration.

On January 23, 2017, the FTC released a Staff Report (the “Report”) on cross-device tracking technology that can link multiple Internet-connected devices to the same person and track that person’s activity across those devices. The Report follows a November 2015 workshop on the same subject and is based on information and comments gathered during that workshop.

On January 10, 2017, the European Commission announced the final elements of its long-awaited “digital single market” strategy for Europe. The announcement includes two new proposed EU regulations as well as a European Commission Communication, as described below.

Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China published a draft of the new Notice on Regulating Business Behaviors in the Cloud Service Market (Draft for Public Comments) (the “Draft”) for public comment. The Draft is open for comment until December 24, 2016.

On December 12, 2016, Politico reported that the European Commission intends to replace the e-Privacy Directive with a Regulation. The planned shift from a Directive to a Regulation has important legal consequences under EU law, as it means that instead of creating a floor upon which EU Member States may base the creation of their own versions of the law, a Regulation will create a harmonized set of requirements at the EU level that are directly applicable in the Member States.

On November 14, 2016, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (“NIST”) published guidance on cybersecurity for internet-connected devices, Systems Security Engineering: Considerations for A Multidisciplinary Approach in the Engineering of Trustworthy Secure Systems (the “Guidance”). Citing “the continuing frequency, intensity, and adverse consequences of cyber-attacks,” the Guidance “addresses the engineering-driven perspective and actions necessary to develop more defensible and survivable systems.”

This post has been updated. 

On October 27, 2016, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) announced the adoption of rules that require broadband Internet Service Providers (“ISPs”) to take steps to protect consumer privacy (the “Rules”). According to the FCC’s press release, the Rules are intended to “ensure broadband customers have meaningful choice, greater transparency and strong security protections for their personal information collected by ISPs.” 

Recently, the Cyberspace Administration of China published for public comment a draft of the Regulations on the Online Protection of Minors (“Draft Regulations”). The Draft Regulations are open for comment until October 31, 2016.

On October 14, 2016, California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris announced the release of a publicly available online form that will enable consumers to report potential violations of the California Online Privacy Protection Act (“CalOPPA”). CalOPPA requires website and mobile app operators to post a privacy policy that contains certain specific content.

On October 19, 2016, the Court of Justice of the European Union (the “CJEU”) issued its judgment in Patrick Breyer v. Bundesrepublik Deutschland, following the Opinion of Advocate General Manuel Campos Sánchez-Bordona on May 12, 2016. The CJEU followed the Opinion of the Advocate General and declared that a dynamic IP address registered by a website operator must be treated as personal data by that operator to the extent that the user's Internet service provider ("ISP") has - and may provide - additional data that in combination with the IP address that would allow for the identification of the user.

A recent study from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (“NIST”) warns that an overabundance of computer security measures might actually lead users to engage in “risky computing behavior at work and in their personal lives.”

On October 27, 2016, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) will vote on whether to finalize proposed rules (the "Proposed Rules”) concerning new privacy restrictions for Internet Service Providers (“ISPs”). The Proposed Rules, which revise previous versions introduced earlier this year, would require customers’ explicit (or “opt-in”) consent before an ISP can use or share a customer’s personal data, including web browsing and app usage history, geolocation data, children’s information, health information, financial information, email and other message contents and Social Security numbers.

On September 23, 2016, the French Data Protection Authority ("CNIL") published the results of the Internet sweep on connected devices. The sweep was conducted in May 2016 to assess the quality of the information provided to users of connected devices, the level of security of the data flows and the degree of user empowerment (e.g., user’s consent and ability to exercise data protection rights).

On August 30, 2016, the First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights) (the “Tribunal”) dismissed an appeal from UK telecoms company TalkTalk Telecom Group PLC (“TalkTalk”) regarding a monetary penalty notice issued to it on February 17, 2016, by the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”). The ICO had issued the monetary penalty notice to TalkTalk, for the amount of £1,000, for an alleged failure to report an October 2015 data breach to the ICO within the legally required time period.

On July 25, 2016, the Article 29 Working Party (the “Working Party”) and the European Data Protection Supervisor (“EDPS”) released their respective Opinions regarding the review of Directive 2002/58/EC on privacy and electronic communications (the “ePrivacy Directive"). Both the Working Party and the EDPS stressed that new rules should complement the protections available under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”).

On July 6, 2016, the European Parliament adopted the Directive on Security of Network and Information Systems (the “NIS Directive”), which will come into force in August 2016. EU Member States will have 21 months to transpose the NIS Directive into their national laws. The NIS Directive is part of the European Commission’s cybersecurity strategy for the European Union, and is designed to increase cooperation between EU Member States on cybersecurity issues.

On June 28, 2016, the State Internet Information Office of the People’s Republic of China published the Administrative Provisions on Information Services for Mobile Internet Applications (the “App Administrative Provisions”). This is the first regulation that expressly regulates mobile apps in the People’s Republic of China. Before the App Administrative Provisions were published, the P.R.C. Ministry of Industry and Information Technology had published a draft of the Interim Provisions on the Preinstallation and Management of the Distribution of Mobile Intelligent Terminal Applications (“Interim Provisions”). The comment period for the Interim Provisions draft expired six months ago and i’s still uncertain when it will become effective. According to unofficial statistics, domestic app stores have more than 4 million apps in inventory presently, and the number is growing. Those apps will now become highly regulated products under the App Administrative Provisions.

On June 27, 2016, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People's Republic of China held a second reading of the draft Cybersecurity Law (the “second draft”). The law is aimed at strengthening the protection and security of key information infrastructure and important data in China. As we previously reported, the first draft of the Cybersecurity Law was published for comment almost a year ago, but the National People’s Congress has not published the full second draft of the Cybersecurity Law to date.

On June 25, 2016, the Cyberspace Administration of China published its new Administrative Provisions on Internet Information Search Services (the “Provisions”). The Provisions will come into effect on August 1, 2016.

On June 9, 2016, the Belgian Privacy Commission (the “Belgian DPA”) published its Annual Activity Report for 2015 (the “Annual Report”) highlighting its main accomplishments.

On May 12, 2016, the Advocate General (“AG”) of the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) issued an opinion stating that Internet Protocol (“IP”) addresses are personal data and data protection law should apply to IP addresses. Specifically, the AG urged the CJEU to rule that a dynamic IP address is personal data to the extent that an Internet access provider has additional data that in combination with the IP address would allow for the re-identification of the user.

On April 12, 2016, the French Data Protection Authority (“CNIL”) announced that it will participate in a coordinated online audit to analyze the impact of everyday connected devices on privacy. The audit will be coordinated by the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (“GPEN”), a global network of approximately 50 data protection authorities (“DPAs”) from around the world.

On March 18, 2016, a report was released by a joint team from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s Electricity Information Sharing Analysis Center and SANS Industrial Control Systems. According to the report, the cyber attack against a Ukrainian electric utility in December 2015 that caused 225,000 customers to lose power for several hours was based on months of undetected reconnaissance that gave the attackers a sophisticated understanding of the utility’s supervisory control and data acquisition networks.

On February 25, 2016, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) heard arguments on two questions referred by the German Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof). The first question was whether or not IP addresses constitute personal data and therefore cannot be stored beyond what is necessary to provide an Internet service.

On December 27, 2015, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China published the P.R.C. Anti-Terrorism Law. The law was enacted in response to a perceived growing threat from extremists and terrorists, particularly in regions in Western China, and came into effect on January 1, 2016.

On December 30, 2015, the Pew Research Center released a report on the results of a recent survey that asked 461 Americans about their feelings toward sharing personal information with companies. The survey found that a “significant minority” of American adults have felt “confused over information provided in company privacy policies, discouraged by the amount of effort needed to understand the implications of sharing their data, and impatient because they wanted to learn more about the information-sharing process but felt they needed to make a decision right away.”

On October 16, 2015, the German Parliament adopted a new data retention law requiring telecommunications operators and Internet service providers to retain customer Internet and phone usage data, including phone numbers, call times, IP addresses, and the international identifiers of mobile users (if applicable) for 10 weeks. The law requires user location data obtained in connection with mobile phone services to be retained for four weeks. Telecommunications and Internet service providers also are required to ensure that the retained data is stored within Germany.

On October 1, 2015, the Court of Justice of the European Union (the “CJEU”) issued its judgment in Weltimmo v Nemzeti (Case C-230/14). Weltimmo, a company registered and headquartered in Slovakia, runs a website that allows property owners in Hungary to advertise their properties. The CJEU stated that, in some cases, Weltimmo had failed to delete the personal data of the advertisers upon request, and also had sent debt collectors to some advertisers despite their earlier attempts to cancel their accounts. The advertisers complained to the Hungarian Data Protection Authority (“DPA”), which investigated the matter and issued a fine of HUF 10 million (approximately 36,500 USD) against Weltimmo.

On September 17, 2015, Prime Minister David Cameron issued a Written Ministerial Statement, announcing that policy responsibility for data protection issues and the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (the “ICO”) will both be transferred from the Ministry of Justice (the “MoJ”) to the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, (the “DCMS”) with the changes taking effect on the same date. Existing data protection policy teams at the MoJ also will move to the DCMS.

On September 2, 2015, the French Data Protection Authority (“CNIL”) published the results of an Internet sweep of 54 websites visited by children and teenagers. The sweep was conducted in May 2015 to assess whether websites that are directed toward, frequently used by or popular among children comply with French data protection law. As we previously reported, the sweep was coordinated by the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (“GPEN”), a global network of approximately 50 data protection authorities (“DPAs”). The CNIL and 28 other DPAs that are members of the GPEN participated in the coordinated online audit. A total of 1,494 websites and apps were audited around the world.

On August 24, 2015, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued its opinion in Federal Trade Commission v. Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (“Wyndham”), affirming a district court holding that the Federal Trade Commission has the authority to regulate companies’ data security practices.

On August 11, 2015, the Online Trust Alliance, a nonprofit group whose goal is to increase online trust and promote the vitality of the Internet, released a framework (the “Framework”) for best practices in privacy and data security for the Internet of Things. The Framework was developed by the Internet of Things Trustworthy Working Group, which the Online Trust Alliance created in January 2015 to address “the mounting concerns and collective impact of connected devices.”

On August 7, 2015, Delaware Governor Jack Markell signed four bills into law concerning online privacy. The bills, drafted by the Delaware Attorney General, focus on protecting the privacy of website and mobile app users, children, students and crime victims.

On May 25, 2015, the Privacy and Big Data Institute at Ryerson University in Canada announced that it is offering a Privacy by Design Certification. Privacy by Design is a “framework that seeks to proactively embed privacy into the design specifications of information technologies” to obtain the most secure data protection possible. Organizations that attain the certification will be permitted to post a “Certification Shield” “to demonstrate to consumers that they have withstood the scrutiny of a rigorous third party assessment, assuring the public that their product or service reflects the viewpoint of today’s privacy conscious consumer.”

On July 6, 2015, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China published a draft of the country’s proposed Network Security Law (the “Draft Cybersecurity Law”). A public comment period on the Draft Cybersecurity Law is now open until August 5, 2015.

On June 30, 2015, the French Data Protection Authority (the “CNIL”) summarized the results of the cookie inspections it conducted at the end of 2014.

On May 28, 2015, the German government adopted a draft law that would require telecommunications and Internet service providers to retain Internet and telephone usage data. The initiative comes more than a year after the European Court of Justice declared the EU Data Retention Directive invalid, which had been implemented previously by German law. The German law implementing the EU Data Protection Directive had been declared unconstitutional by the German Federal Constitutional Court five years ago.

On May 26, 2015, the Upper House of the Dutch Parliament passed a bill that introduces a general obligation for data controllers to notify the Dutch Data Protection Authority (“DPA”) of data security breaches and provides increased sanctions for violations of the Dutch Data Protection Act. A Dutch Royal Decree still needs to be adopted to set the new law’s date of entry into force. According to the Dutch DPA, the new law is likely to come into force on January 1, 2016.

On May 13, 2015, the Belgian Data Protection Authority (the “DPA”) published a recommendation addressing the use of social plug-ins associated with Facebook and its services (the “Recommendation”). The Recommendation stems from the recent discussions between the DPA and Facebook regarding Facebook’s privacy policy and the tracking of individuals’ Internet activities.

On May 7, 2015, the Digital Advertising Alliance (“DAA”) announced that, as of September 1, 2015, the Council of Better Business Bureaus and the Direct Marketing Association will begin to enforce the DAA Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising and the Multi-Site Data Principles (collectively, the “Self-Regulatory Principles”) in the mobile environment.

On May 11, 2015, the French Data Protection Authority (“CNIL”) and the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (”ICO”) announced that they will participate in a coordinated online audit to assess whether websites and apps that are directed toward children, and those that are frequently used by or popular among children, comply with global privacy laws. The audit will be coordinated by the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (“GPEN”), a global network of approximately 50 data protection authorities (“DPAs”) from around the world.

On March 13, 2015, the U.S. Department of Commerce Internet Policy Task Force (“IPTF”) issued a request for public comment regarding cybersecurity issues affecting the digital economy. The IPTF’s request invites all stakeholders interested in cybersecurity to “identify substantive cybersecurity issues that affect the digital ecosystem and digital economic growth where broad consensus, coordinated action, and the development of best practices could substantially improve security for organizations and consumers.” For each issue identified, the IPTF’s request for comment asks interested parties to opine on a series of questions, including (1) why the issue is suited to a multistakeholder process and (2) why a multistakeholder process would benefit the digital ecosystem.

On February 26, 2015, the Department of Education’s Privacy Technical Assistance Center (“PTAC”) issued guidance to assist schools, school districts and vendors with understanding the primary laws regulating student privacy and how compliance with those laws may be affected by Terms of Service (“TOS”) offered by providers of online educational services and mobile applications. The guidance also is intended to aid school districts and schools in implementing separate guidance issued by the PTAC in February 2014. The guidance was accompanied by a short training video directed to teachers, administrators and other relevant staff.

On March 3, 2015, the Third Circuit heard oral arguments in FTC v. Wyndham Worldwide Corp. (“Wyndham”) on whether the FTC has the authority to regulate private companies’ data security under Section 5 of the FTC Act.

On February 3, 2015, the Article 29 Working Party (“Working Party”) published a report on a sweep of 478 websites across eight EU Member States (Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom). The sweep was conducted to assess compliance with Article 5.3 of the e-Privacy Directive 2002/58/EC, as amended by 2009/136/EC.

On January 27, 2015, the Federal Trade Commission announced the release of a report on the Internet of Things: Privacy and Security in a Connected World (the “Report”). The Report describes the current state of the Internet of Things, analyzes the benefits and risks of its development, applies privacy principles to the Internet of Things and discusses whether legislation is needed to address this burgeoning area. The Report follows a workshop by the FTC on this topic in November 2013.

Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller has prepared a new bill that, although styled a “security breach” bill, would impose substantial new privacy obligations on companies holding the personal data of Indiana residents. Introduced by Indiana Senator James Merritt (R-Indianapolis) on January 12, 2015, SB413 would make a number of changes to existing Indiana law. For example, it would amend the existing Indiana breach notification law to apply to all data users, rather than owners of data bases. The bill also would expand Indiana’s breach notification law to eliminate the requirement that the breached data be computerized for notices to be required.

On January 13, 2015, President Obama announced legislative proposals and administration efforts with respect to cybersecurity, including a specific proposal for a national data breach notification standard. Aside from the national data breach notification standard, the President’s other proposals are designed to (1) encourage the private sector to increase the sharing of information related to cyber threats with the federal government and (2) modernize law enforcement to effectively prosecute illegal conduct related to cybersecurity.

On January 6, 2015, Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Edith Ramirez gave the opening remarks on “Privacy and the IoT: Navigating Policy Issues” at the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (“International CES”) in Las Vegas, Nevada. She addressed the key challenges the Internet of Things (“IoT”) poses to consumer privacy and how companies can find appropriate solutions that build consumer trust.

On January 12, 2015, President Obama announced at the Federal Trade Commission several new initiatives on data security and consumer privacy as part of a weeklong focus on privacy and cybersecurity. He noted that on January 13 at the Department of Homeland Security, he would address how to improve protections against cyber attacks, and on January 14, he would address how more Americans can have access to faster and cheaper broadband Internet. He stated that the announcements he is making this week are “sneak previews” of the proposals he will make in next week’s State of the Union address.

On November 26, 2014, the Article 29 Working Party (the “Working Party”) published an Opinion (the “Opinion”) on the Guidelines on the Implementation of the Court of Justice of the European Union Judgment on “Google Spain and Google Inc. v. Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (AEPD) and Mario Costeja González” C-131/12 (the “Judgment” or “Costeja”). The Opinion constitutes guidance from the Working Party on the implementation of Costeja for search engine operators.

On November 25, 2014, the Article 29 Working Party (the “Working Party”) adopted Opinion 9/2014 (the “Opinion”) on device fingerprinting. The Opinion addresses the applicability of the consent requirement in Article 5.3 of the e-Privacy Directive 2002/58/EC (as amended by Directive 2009/136/EC) to device fingerprinting. As more and more website providers suggest using device fingerprinting instead of cookies for the purpose of providing analytics or for tracking purposes, the Working Party clarifies how the rules regarding user consent to cookies apply to device fingerprinting. Thus, the Opinion expands on Opinion 04/2012 on the Cookie Consent Exemption.

On November 12, 2014, the Federal Trade Commission announced that in response to FTC complaints, a federal court has ordered two debt brokerage companies to notify over 70,000 consumers whose sensitive personal information was posted on a public website by the debt brokerage companies.

On October 16, 2014, the 36th International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners in Mauritius hosted a panel including representatives from the European Data Protection Supervisor ("EDPS") and Hunton & Williams to discuss the need for a coordinated approach to net neutrality and data protection in the EU. While there are divergent views on what net neutrality should (or should not) entail, net neutrality in the EU typically refers to the principle that all Internet traffic is treated equally and without discrimination, restriction or interference.

In October 2014, the People’s Republic of China Supreme People’s Court issued interpretations regarding the infringement of privacy and personal information on the Internet. The interpretations are entitled Provisions of the Supreme People’s Court on Several Issues concerning the Application of the Rules regarding Cases of the Infringement of Personal Rights over Information Networks (the “Provisions”) and became effective on October 10, 2014.

On August 19, 2014, the German Federal Ministry of the Interior published a revised draft cybersecurity law (the “Draft Law”). An earlier version of the law was published in March 2013. The Draft Law is intended to serve as a cornerstone of Germany’s recently-announced digital agenda.

The EU Sub-Committee on Home Affairs, Health and Education of the UK House of Lords has published its Second Report for 2013-14, entitled EU Data Protection Law: A 'Right to Be Forgotten'? (the “Report”). The Report summarizes the findings of the Sub-Committee’s investigation into the right to be forgotten, and was triggered in large part by the European Court of Justice’s (“ECJ’s”) decision in Google v. Costeja (Case C-131/12, “Costeja”). In Costeja, the ECJ held that individuals have a right to request that their personal data no longer be displayed by online search engines in the results for searches made on the basis of the individual’s name, particularly if the information is inadequate, irrelevant or excessive (commonly referred to as the “right to be forgotten”).

On June 2, 2014, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a U.S.-led multinational effort to disrupt the “Gameover Zeus” botnet and the malware known as “Cryptolocker.” The DOJ also unsealed charges filed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Omaha, Nebraska against an administrator of Gameover Zeus.

On June 3 and 4, 2014, the Article 29 Working Party held a meeting to discuss the consequences of the European Court of Justice’s May 13, 2014 judgment in Costeja, which is widely described as providing a “right to be forgotten.” Google gave effect to the Costeja decision by posting a web form that enables individuals to request the removal of URLs from the results of Google searches that include that individual’s name. The Working Party announced that it welcomed Google’s initiative, but pointed out that it is “too early to comment on whether the form is entirely satisfactory.” The Working Party also announced that it will prepare guidelines to ensure a common approach to the implementation of Costeja by the national data protection authorities. Finally, the Working Party called on search engine operators to implement user-friendly processes that enable users to exercise their right to deletion of search result links containing their personal data.

On May 30, 2014, Google posted a web form that enables individuals to request the removal of URLs from the results of searches that include that individual’s name. The web form acknowledges that this is Google’s “initial effort” to give effect to the recent and controversial decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Costeja, widely described as providing a “right to be forgotten.” That Google has moved quickly to offer individuals a formal removal request process will be viewed favorably, but the practicalities of creating a removals process that satisfies all interested parties will remain challenging, and not just for Google.

On May 21, 2014, California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris issued guidance for businesses (“Guidance”) on how to comply with recent updates to the California Online Privacy Protection Act (“CalOPPA”). The recent updates to CalOPPA include requirements that online privacy notices disclose how a site responds to “Do Not Track” signals, and whether third parties may collect personal information about consumers who use the site. In an accompanying press release, the Attorney General stated that the Guidance is intended to provide a “tool for businesses to create clear and transparent privacy policies that reflect the state’s privacy laws and allow consumers to make informed decisions.” The Guidance is not legally binding; it is intended to encourage companies to draft transparent online privacy notices.

On May 13, 2014, the European Court of Justice (the “CJEU”) rendered its judgment in Google Spain S.L. and Google Inc. v Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (Case C-131/12, “Google v. AEPD” or the “case”). The case concerns a request made by a Spanish individual, Mr. Costeja, to the Spanish Data Protection Authority (Agencia Española de Protección de Datos or “AEPD”) to order the removal of certain links from Google’s search results. The links relate to an announcement in an online newspaper of a real estate auction for the recovery of Mr. Costeja’s social security debts. The information was lawfully published in 1998, but Mr. Costeja argued that the information had become irrelevant as the proceedings concerning him had been fully resolved for a number of years. The AEPD upheld the complaint and ordered Google Spain S.L. and Google Inc. (“Google”) to remove the links from their search results. Google appealed this decision before the Spanish High Court, which referred a series of questions to the ECJ for a preliminary ruling. The ECJ ruled as follows:

On May 19, 2014, the French Data Protection Authority (the “CNIL”) published its Annual Activity Report for 2013 (the “Report”) highlighting its main accomplishments in 2013 and outlining some of its priorities for the upcoming year.

On May 16, 2014, the Singapore Personal Data Protection Commission (the “Commission”) published advisory guidelines for the implementation of its Personal Data Protection Act (the “PDPA”) for two industry sectors. The guidelines were published on the same day on which the Commission held its well-attended Personal Data Protection Seminar focusing on international perspectives on data governance. The advisory guidelines generally have the following content:

On February 18, 2014, the Frankfurt am Main Regional Court issued a ruling addressing the use of opt-out notices for web analytics tools. The case concerned Piwik web analytics software and its “AnonymizeIP” function. The court held that website users must be informed clearly about their right to object to the creation of pseudonymized usage profiles. This information must be provided when a user first visits the website (e.g., via a pop-up or highlighted/linked wording on the first page) and must be accessible at all times (e.g., via a privacy notice).

On April 23, 2014, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff enacted the Marco Civil da Internet (“Marco Civil”), Brazil’s first set of Internet regulations. The Marco Civil was approved by the Brazilian Senate on April 22, 2014. President Rousseff signed the law at the NETMundial Internet Governance conference in São Paulo, a global multistakeholder event on the future of Internet governance.

On the 25th anniversary of his first proposal for what would become the World Wide Web (the “Web”), Sir Timothy John “Tim” Berners-Lee expressed concern at what he sees as the increasing threat that governments and commercial interests pose to the openness and accessibility of the Web. In a wide-ranging interview with the UK’s The Guardian newspaper, Berners-Lee criticized the approach that some lawmakers have taken on issues such as net neutrality and copyright legislation, as well as the decision by some countries to limit access to the wider Internet. He also called for an end to the control that the U.S. Department of Commerce exerts over the Internet Domain Name System.

On January 22, 2014, at the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt announced the creation of a new independent commission that will examine the future of Internet governance. The Global Commission on Internet Governance (the “Commission”) is being launched by think tanks Chatham House and The Centre for International Governance Innovation (“CIGI”). The Commission will be chaired by Bildt, Sweden’s former Prime Minister, and supported by expert members representing business, government, academia and civil society. In announcing the initiative, Bildt stated that “[n]et freedom is as fundamental as freedom of information and freedom of speech in our societies.”

On November 21, 2013, the Supreme People’s Court of China passed the Provisions on the Online Issuance of Judgment Documents by People’s Courts (the “Provisions”), which will take effect on January 1, 2014. The Provisions replace earlier rules (of the same title) enacted by the Supreme People’s Court on November 8, 2010, and generally focus on improved implementation of the principles of standardizing the online issuance of judgment documents, promoting judicial justice and enhancing the public credibility of the judiciary.

On November 19, 2013, the Federal Trade Commission held a workshop in Washington, D.C. to discuss The Internet of Things: Privacy & Security in a Connected World. FTC Chair Edith Ramirez and FTC Senior Attorney Karen Jagielski provided the opening remarks. Chairwoman Ramirez raised three key issues for workshop participants to consider:

On October 8, 2013, a Royal Decree was published completing the transposition of the EU Data Retention Directive 2006/24/EC (the “Data Retention Directive”) into Belgian law. The Royal Decree was adopted on September 19, 2013.

On October 4, 2013, The Centre for Information Policy Leadership’s Senior Policy Advisor Fred Cate reported on the 35th International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners which concluded on September 24 in Warsaw, Poland. The report indicates that four main issues dominated the Conference: (1) challenges presented by technologies such as mobile apps and online profiling, (2) multinational interoperability and enforcement, (3) pending EU data protection regulation and alternatives, and (4) repercussions of NSA surveillance activities.

On September 27, 2013, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law a bill amending the California Online Privacy Protection Act (“CalOPPA”) to require website privacy notices to disclose how the site responds to “Do Not Track” signals, and whether third parties may collect personal information when a consumer uses the site. Although the changes to the law do not prohibit online behavioral advertising, this is the first law in the United States to impose disclosure requirements on website operators that track consumers’ online behavior.

On September 23, 2013, California Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill that adds “Privacy Rights for California Minors in the Digital World” to the California Online Privacy Protection Act (“CalOPPA”). The new CalOPPA provisions prohibit online marketing or advertising certain products to anyone under age 18, and require website operators to honor requests made by minors who are registered users to remove content the minor posted on the site. In addition, operators must provide notice and instructions to minors explaining their rights regarding the removal of content they’ve posted.

Recent months have seen a significant increase in highly-publicized cyber attacks and cybersecurity incidents, including an August 2013 attack on The New York Times’ website that shut down the site twice in two weeks. Unsurprisingly, there also has been an upswing in the demand for, and underwriting of, cyber insurance. In a recent Law360 article, Takeaways from Recent Cyberattack on New York Times, Hunton & Williams Insurance Litigation & Counseling partner Lon Berk considers whether a hypothetical cyber insurance policy would have covered such a loss.

On September 4, 2013, the Federal Trade Commission announced a settlement with TRENDnet, Inc. (“TRENDnet”) stemming from allegations that TRENDnet’s failure to provide reasonable security for its Internet Protocol (“IP”) security cameras allowed hackers to publicly post online live feeds from approximately 700 customers’ cameras. As the FTC noted in its press release, “this is the agency’s first action against a marketer of an everyday product with interconnectivity to the Internet and other mobile devices – commonly referred to as the ‘Internet of Things.’”

On September 5, 2013, Pew Research Center released a report detailing the results of a new survey that questioned 792 Internet and smartphone users in the United States about their desire for anonymity and issues they have faced regarding privacy and security online. The report indicates that although most Internet users may wish to be anonymous online, they don’t believe complete anonymity is possible.

On August 1, 2013, the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota denied a criminal defendant’s motion to suppress, holding that the defendant had no reasonable expectation of privacy in computer files he shared on a peer-to-peer network.

On July 16, 2013, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China (the “MIIT”) issued a new rule entitled Provisions on the Registration of Real Identity Information of Telephone Users (the “Provisions”), which will take effect on September 1, 2013. The Provisions were issued pursuant to the Resolution of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Relating to Strengthening the Protection of Information on the Internet (the “Resolution”) and the Telecommunications Regulations of the People’s Republic of China. In April 2013, the MIIT issued a draft of the Provisions and solicited public comment.