By: Nicholas Tagg Over the last two decades, the prevalence and ease of use of home video security systems have exploded. These security systems have allowed people to surveil their homes better and more cheaply than ever. As of 2024, about 72% of homes have at least one type of security device. In addition, when… Read More Securing Our Homes, Surrendering Our Privacy: The Legal Risks of Smart Surveillance
By: Grace Drost Microchips in the brain and mind-reading devices sound like something straight out of a science fiction film. However, science fiction is increasingly sounding like reality. Neuralink, a device designed to give paralyzed patients the ability to control digital devices through their thoughts, has successfully been implanted in a second patient. Another team… Read More Unlocking Minds: The Promise of Neurotechnology and the Challenge of Data Privacy
By: Kate Donovan Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the fastest growing technological trends that is being used to improve the efficiency and accuracy of daily tasks in people’s lives. Recently, it has been implemented in the work force and is used as a tool for companies and organizations to make hiring decisions. This technology… Read More Can AI Replicate the Human Component of Hiring?
By: Meg Cotter Mojo Vision’s smart contact lenses are not your typical vision correction aids. They are equipped with cutting-edge technology, including sensors, wireless connectivity, and data processing capabilities, turning your eyeballs into augmented reality (AR) displays. Through their use, people may access a wealth of information in real-time, from navigation assistance to biometric… Read More Seeing Differently: The Legal Landscape of Mojo Vision’s Smart Contact Lenses
By: Meg Cotter In the end of January, fake sexually explicit images of Taylor Swift spread rapidly across social media platforms specificallyacross X. They racked in tens of millions of views before being reported and taken down. The images originated in a channel on Telegram, a messaging app dedicated to producing similar images. As… Read More ‘What Happened to Taylor is Nothing New’: AI-Generated Celebrity Images & The Need for Legal Safeguards
By: Allison Nickerson Functioning in the era of the internet requires daily use of technology. Increasing use of the internet leaves users’ private information increasingly susceptible to use by websites visited. The lack of comprehensive law regulating and protecting internet privacy resulted in a patchwork of federal and state laws attempting to protect users. This lack of… Read More Is Google Protecting Your Privacy?
By: Andrew Cammarano The Fourth Amendment states that the people have the right to be “secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated,” aimed to protect citizens from warrantless searches. Obviously, technology has changed drastically from the ratification of this amendment in 1789 with the introduction… Read More Fourth Amendment Protection: How Technological Advancements Warrant More Judicial Oversight
By: Meg Apostolides In today’s digital age, the childhood experience has undergone a profound transformation, largely due to the proliferation of social media platforms. This digital landscape has given rise to a new breed of public figures known as “influencers,” people who have adeptly cultivated their personal brands and amassed sizeable followings. The unprecedented access… Read More Empowering “Kidfluencers:” Illinois’ Law Ensures Financial Security and Privacy Protection in the Digital Age
By: Kate Donovan Genealogical research has rapidly changed and improved with advancements in technology, specifically online databases with DNA information and most recently the use of artificial intelligence. These advancements have allowed individuals to research and find more accurate genealogical information, but also discover this information in an efficient manner. Another reason that DNA research… Read More Genealogical Information Being Used to Make Family Connections and Solve Crime; But Does it Have Privacy and Ethical Implications?
By: Kate Donovan Wearable technology is often used in college athletics to track athlete’s sleep, recovery, heart rate and other measurements to predict and regulate their performance. This technology— found in devices such as the Apple Watch, Fitbits, and Whoop— has become a staple in college athletics and many programs have invested in this technology… Read More Wearable Technology in College Athletics Creates Potential Privacy Violations with the Distribution of Student-Athlete Biometric Data
By: Lily Keene Biometric data is not protected under federal law. Therefore, data privacy regulation is left to state and local governments. Amazon Go stores first opened in 2018 and use what the company calls its “Just Walk Out Technology.” Shoppers scan a mobile app and are tracked using computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep… Read More Amazon Go Stores: Biometric Tracking Dystopia
By: Kendall Casey Apple has rolled out a new way to protect data. Previously, Apple promised that iPhone data was end-to-end encrypted, meaning only the user could access it. However, once the iPhone backed up to iCloud, Apple could access it, and, therefore, the data could be subject to a warrant from law enforcement. As… Read More Closing the Loophole: Effects of Apple’s New Advanced Data Protection for iCloud
By: Molly Codeanne The CEO of TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, is scheduled to appear before a congressional committee in March. TikTok has faced many allegations concerning sharing U.S. users’ data with the Chinese Communist Party. The chairs of the committee want Americans to be informed with respect to how TikTok’s actions and functions affect individuals’… Read More TikTok CEO’s Plans to Appear Before Congress
By: Casey Reilly Whether you occasionally scroll through videos on your “For You” page, create content of your own, or avoid downloading the app altogether, chances are that you have heard a thing or two about TikTok. This video sharing app has quite literally captured the interest of teenagers and lawmakers alike – albeit, for… Read More TikTok Privacy Concerns: What Are They Really About?
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
Genetics is a science that can be used to categorize people, stigmatize them, or subject them to social or economic discrimination. The individuals being tested are not the only ones with an interest in the test results. Family members, employers, insurers, the press, and the government all may desire information about a person’s genetics. Thus, raising a lot of privacy issues for genetic information. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) was designed to prohibit the improper use of genetic information for insurance and employment purposes. Even with this we must be aware of potential threats to our privacy. As biotechnology and computer technology advance, substantial privacy issues will continue to arise.… Read More Confidentiality: Genetic Privacy
This blog describes privacy issues related to the use of biometric data and the effect of Illinois’ biometric privacy law. … Read More Biometrics and the BIPA Influence
Recently, Amazon has installed cameras into nearly 30,000 delivery vans across America to monitor their drivers and improve driver safety. Though Amazon representatives claim that an AI software only records when it senses a problem, it is not clear how much of a driver’s day or activity in residential neighborhoods is being recorded in actuality. The addition of these cameras into Amazon delivery vans raises concerns of the drivers over their privacy in the workplace and could threaten the privacy of average Americans while carrying out daily activities.… Read More New AI-Powered Cameras Pose Privacy Concerns for Drivers and the Average American
A federal judge denied the request to throw out a class-action suit alleging that Google secretly scoops up troves of internet data, even if users browse in “Incognito” mode. In the ongoing case of Brown v. Google LLC, the plaintiffs argue that Google did not notify users that Google engages in the alleged data collection while the user is in private browsing mode, though Google argues that the plaintiffs consented to its privacy policy. With the increase in consumer data collection and uncertainty around how/when this data is being used, federal legislation, like the California Consumer Privacy Act, requiring data use disclosure may be the best method to offer users this kind of data autonomy. … Read More Not-So Incognito: Collection of Your Private Internet Browsing History
After three previous attempts since 2018, New York proposed its fourth biometric privacy act bill in hopes of finally becoming law. Because of growing popularity between states on wanting to regulate biometric privacy, New York employers should prepare themselves now on what to expect when this legislation ultimately passes. … Read More Here We Go Again, New York Considering Another BIPA