The Fine Print

Thinking about updating your privacy policy? Consider how to get consumer buy-in as part of the process.

Instagram is rolling out a new tool that will make it easier to tag and track paid commercial content.

Major regulatory changes in data governance recently went into effect in Japan and China that are likely to impact organizations doing business in these Asian markets.

Ransomware is old news, as we had previously written here. Its latest iteration, the currently circulating WannaCry ransomware, is no laughing matter.

Earlier today, numerous hospitals operated by Britain’s National Health Service suffered a ransomware event in which hospital computer systems were encrypted, phone lines became inoperable, patients were diverted, and a Bitcoin ransom was demanded.

The Federal Trade Commission recently sent more than 90 letters to celebrities, athletes, and other influencers reminding them that brand endorsements made in social media posts must comply with the FTC’s Endorsement Guides.

On Monday, the US Department of Health & Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights announced that CardioNet has entered into a $2.5 million HIPAA settlement.

The Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, permits hospitals and other health care providers to disclose medical information without the patient’s consent for the purposes of reviewing the competence or qualifications of health care professionals or health care services.

The Federal Trade Commission is asking “who’s watching who?” in a recent settlement with Vizio over the consumer electronics brand’s smart TVs.

In December 2016, the EU’s Article 29 Working Party a number of GDPR guidance documents, including explanations for the mandatory DPO role, new individual right to data portability, and how to identify a “lead authority” for the GDPR’s one-stop shop enforcement mechanism.

The DPO Guidelines cover the designation of the DPO, the position of the DPO, and the DPO’s role/tasks. The GDPR requires the designation of a DPO in three cases.

An Illinois federal court recently awarded the Canadian retailer Moose Knuckles a $52 million default judgment related to claims of trademark infringement, counterfeiting, and cybersquatting by 26 Chinese defendants.

The Forum focused on the consumer implications of artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain, two rapidly developing technologies.

Phishing scams are arising at a fast and furious pace in the first quarter of 2017, with the IRS recently issuing a warning that these attacks are now targeting non-profits and school districts.

Based on recent federal court filings in the Central District of California, it appears that plaintiff lawyers have found a new way to threaten retailers with class action litigation.

An Executive Order from President Trump’s first days in office raised questions about its impact on the hard-won Privacy Shield, which allows about 1,700 companies to legally transfer data between the EEA and Switzerland and the US.

Merchants and retailers will soon become subject to the updated Payment Card Information Data Security Standard.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently issued guidance for both businesses and consumers on defending against ransomware, both of which are based on lessons learned from the FTC’s recent ransomware workshop, with panelists that included security researchers, technologists, law enforcers, and bu

Last week, a California appellate court held that consumers can proceed with a class action suit against Banana Republic for false advertising arising from posted signs that advertised a 40-percent off sale without disclosing that the discount only applied to certain items.

Retailers should beware this holiday season – and beyond – when advertising sales using a comparison between the “original” and “sale” prices as Macy’s, Sears, and JC Penney were just sued by the Los Angeles City Attorney for allegedly deceiving consumers by using a false original “reference price.”

Cybersecurity and data intrustions have dominated business headlines this year, ranging from the rise of ransomware to international hacking of US political parties.

The Supreme Court case involving Spokeo and Thomas Robins, a consumer whose information was included in the search engine’s reports, highlights the limitations to a consumer’s ability to enforce their rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).