By: Erin Gray The release of Meta by Facebook in October of 2021 introduced another way in which Facebook may connect and increase interactions amongst people and companies across the globe. Like other online software, the “metaverse” creates virtual spaces where people can “create and explore” with others who can’t be in the same… Read More Meta Pixel: Collegiate Sports Fans Fighting for Their Privacy
By: Andrew Ciulla Apple’s virtual assistant, Siri, used to respond to users’ queries on where to hide a dead body with locations of swamps, reservoirs, metal foundries and dumps. These responses given by Siri were meant to be in jest. However, in 2012, a Florida man was found guilty of murdering his roommate, evidenced by… Read More From a Siri Joke to Reality: How Brian Walshe’s Internet Searches Are Being Legally Used Against Him
By: Alexandra Evarts Apple, Inc. launched its newest Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Series 8, at its annual iPhone conference in September. Using the Apple Watch Series 8, users will now be able to track their fertility through wrist temperature data. With the launch of this new fertility tracking feature coming just a few months… Read More Apple’s New Fertility Tracking Feature Presents New Privacy Concerns Under Dobbs
By: Katie LePage On June 24, 2022, the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) declared through its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women Health Organization that abortion is no longer a fundamental Constitutional right. Without a federal data privacy law in place, the Dobbs decision raises serious concerns about how women’s personal data, such as menstrual… Read More The Future of Data Privacy Living in a Post-Roe World
By: Hayden McGuire Data privacy is rightfully a growing concern among many Americans, and the federal regulation governing the area is patchworked and outdated. The federal government finally seems to be attempting to ease these concerns, evident by the advancing of the American Data Privacy Protection Act (“ADPPA”). The ADPPA is a popular data privacy… Read More State and Federal Conflicts in Data Privacy May Weaken Rights for Americans
By: Andrew Ciulla The United Kingdom’s Age-Appropriate Design Code (“AADC”) is the model for current United States legislation calling for greater protection of children on the internet. The AADC took effect on September 2, 2020, giving businesses a year’s grace period to come into compliance. The code sets out 15 standards of age-appropriate design reflecting… Read More From Across the Pond: The United Kingdom’s Age-Appropriate Design Code’s Influence on United States Legislation
The recent trend in GDPR actions has been for organizations to no longer hesitate to challenge the decision of data protection authorities, opposing fines first and worrying about legal standing after. However, the reality of this new method of immediate opposition is actually working for companies and data collectors as most of these cases are either struck down or partially dismissed by EU courts. With regulators claiming that their enforcement powers are at risk of being severely restricted, and companies claiming that their methods of data collection have been stunted, a clear divide exists.… Read More Appeal First, Question Later: Addressing the Growing Number of Rapid GDPR Appeals and Its Effects on Adequate Enforcement
Apple has begun to implement data privacy “nutrition labels” on their App Store, displaying the type of data collected on each app’s product page for users to view. Although the legality of such labels is not in dispute, its implementation signals an ongoing step in Apple’s commitment to data privacy protection; potentially foreshadowing an industry-wide shift in privacy protection from legislative to market-based solutions. However, this method of privacy labeling may also come with heightened legal liability for Apple, necessitating the company’s dedication to transparency and truthfulness. If successfully implemented, and trusted by consumers, privacy labelling may become a staple in modern technology, a shift that could eventually be required by law or regulated by a governmental agency. … Read More Download, if You Dare: Considering the Long-Term Influence of Apple’s Privacy Labels on US Data Regulation
The SAFE DATA Act introduced a comprehensive federal privacy bill consisting of three previous proposals. Touting bipartisan support and years of analysis, the SAFE DATA Act intends to provide Americans with more choice and control over their personal data and directs businesses to be more transparent and accountable for their data gathering practices. Additionally, the SAFE DATA Act seeks to enhance the Federal Trade Commission’s authority by imposing injunctive relief and other remedies in the case of violations. Yet, the act’s poor timing and innate shortcomings lead some data privacy advocates to question whether it will have any impact on federal privacy legislation at all.… Read More Data Privacy Pastiche: Discussing the SAFE DATA Act’s Viability as a Federal Privacy Proposal
The Lawful Access to Encrypted Data Act aims to create a “backdoor” to encrypted data on various everyday devices and messaging services to aid law enforcement in gathering information from criminals and terrorist organizations. The drafters of the bill, however, do not realize that creating a “backdoor” compromises the security and purpose of encryptions, and the “backdoor” could be used by bad faith actors to access troves of average Americans’ private information. … Read More Senate Bill Could End User Privacy on Everyday Devices
By: Rebecca Rubin Walking in downtown Boston after retrieving your morning coffee, you probably glance at your phone two or three times and review your latest Facebook notification. Notifications are all well and good when you expect them, but what if you were walking around in the mall and every single store floods you with… Read More Beacon Sheds Light on Virtual Coupons and Privacy Woes