Approximately one month after taking effect, the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) popped up—albeit in a limited fashion—in consumer litigation. At the beginning of February, online retailer Hanna Andersson and Salesforce.com were hit with a class action lawsuit stemming from a reported data breach spanning approximately three months in the fall of 2019. The information compromised in the breach is [...]
Today’s online marketplace is filled with reviews, testimonials, and endorsements from a host of sources including everyone from the average consumer to bloggers and other celebrities. The power of an endorsement can significantly influence consumer behavior and almost always leads to increased sales. With this in mind, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) published guidelines in 1980 that include requirements for [...]
Late Friday, the California Attorney General’s Office (“CAG”) released substantial modifications to the draft California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) regulations it proposed last October. Although several changes consist of minor clarifications or enhancements to readability, others will have a profound impact on businesses working to comply with the CCPA. Notable changes include: Personal Information. Further clarifies that information is not [...]
On January 6, 2020, Andrew Smith, The Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC”) Consumer Protection Director, outlined key changes made in 2019 to its data security orders. These changes, intended to provide improved guidance for businesses and greater protection for consumers, have been part of an ongoing effort over 2019 to enhance the Commission’s data security orders. The Commission sought to build a more [...]
In the coming months, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) is constitutional. The Court will specifically look at whether the CFPB’s structure, which insulates the Director of the Bureau from the President, violates the separation of powers. In anticipation of the ruling, the Trump Administration asserted in its brief that [...]
Earlier this week, the Republican Attorneys General Association (“RAGA”) officially announced the election of a new leadership team that will lead the organization’s campaign efforts in 10 states holding attorney general races in the upcoming 2020 elections. The leadership team, which will be led by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry and Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, will focus on holding [...]
Recent changes in Ohio law make it illegal for chiropractors and certain health practitioners to contact individuals immediately after an automobile accident or crime. The law marks a substantial change for many health practitioners who derive a large amount of business from direct solicitation of individuals. The law mandates that practitioners must wait at least 30 days to contact an [...]
Last month, the California legislature passed several bills to amend the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and adopt a sister law regulating data brokers. The governor has until October 13th to sign those bills into law. Today, the California Attorney General released the first draft of its CCPA regulations. The AG is holding four public hearings between December 2nd and [...]
During the final days of the 2019 legislative calendar, California lawmakers passed several bills to amend the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). If signed into law by the governor, the bills make the following substantive changes and clarifications: Employee information. Provides a partial CCPA exemption for information a business collects from job applicants, employees, and independent contractors — and their [...]
As membership and programming have continued to expand beyond its original geographic boundaries, the Conference of Western Attorneys General (“CWAG”) has announced the formation of the Attorney General Alliance (“AGA”). With 43 states and territories participating, AGA is an alliance of Attorneys General, federal, state and foreign officials, and public and private sector partners throughout the world. AGA works closely [...]
