PRIVACY + SECURITY BLOG

News, Developments, and Insights

Top 10 Privacy Law Developments of the Decade 2010-2019

It is an understatement to say that a lot has happened in privacy law during the past decade. Here is my list of the most notable developments. NOTE: I am giving a particular emphasis to what I find to be notable from a United States perspective.  What is notable privacy law depends upon where one […]

Cartoon: Facial Recognition

Facial recognition technology involves using algorithms to identify people based on their faces. Distinctive details about people’s faces are compiled into “face templates,” which are then stored in a database and used to find facial matches, Facial recognition is quickly being deployed by many companies for various purposes, such as authenticating identity (unlocking smart phones) […]

Cartoon: The Travails of CCPA Compliance

This cartoon depicts the travails of complying with the CCPA as it rapidly evolves.  The CCPA originated when a referendum regarding consumer privacy rights was scheduled to be on the ballot in November 2018.  Alastair Mactaggart, the referendum’s sponsor, offered to withdraw it if California passed a law.  So, in the summer of 2018, the […]

Cartoon: Social Media

It is hard to imagine a world without social media. People are increasingly relying on social media to maintain friendships, share photos and happenings with family, and keep current with the news.  But there’s a dark side – more superficial relationships, cyberbullying, harassment, hate speech, and manipulation. Social media has become a cesspool of lies […]

Cartoon: Data Use and Transparency

Wouldn’t it be nice if companies were completely transparent in their privacy notices?  Typically, privacy notices are filled with long clunky prose that manages to say hardly anything meaningful to consumers.  These notices are written by lawyers who carefully craft every sentence so that they won’t pin down a company.  The drafters of privacy notices […]

Cartoon: Algorithmic Transparency

This cartoon is about algorithmic transparency. Today, more and more decisions are being made by algorithms.  The logic and functioning of these algorithms is increasingly complex and opaque to people. Today, the new buzzwords are “artificial intelligence” and “machine learning.”  AI and machine learning represent a number of different but related things, but what they […]

Cartoon: Multi-Jurisdictional Privacy Law Compliance

This cartoon depicts the challenges of multi-jurisdictional privacy law compliance. In 2018, organizations scrambled to comply with the GDPR.  In 2019, businesses are scrambling to comply with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).  And, there will be a new referendum on privacy law in California next year — CCPA 2.0.  There’s a flurry of legislative […]

Developing a Multi-Jurisdictional Approach to Privacy Laws — An Interview with K Royal

I’m thrilled to interview K Royal, Senior Director, Western Region, Privacy, at TrustArc. K has had a long career in privacy law, having served as privacy counsel for several companies. She’s also an adjunct professor at Arizona State University. Prof Solove: What is the need for a multi-jurisdictional approach to privacy laws? K Royal: With the European […]