PRIVACY + SECURITY BLOG

News, Developments, and Insights

The Nothing-to-Hide Argument – My Essay’s 10th Anniversary

In response to government surveillance or massive data gathering, many people say that there’s nothing to worry about.  “I’ve got nothing to hide,” they declare.  “The only people who should worry are those who are doing something immoral or illegal.” The nothing-to-hide argument is ubiquitous.  This is why I wrote an essay about it 10 […]

HIPAA Cartoon on Snooping

This cartoon is about snooping, one of the most common HIPAA violations.  HIPAA prohibits accessing information that people don’t need to do their jobs.   It can be easy to look at electronic medical records, and people who snoop in this way might not perceive it as wrong.  But the cartoon invites people to imagine how […]

Law Firm Cybersecurity: An Industry at Serious Risk

Last year, major incidents involving law firm data breaches brought attention to the weaknesses within law firm data security and the need for more effective plans and preparation. An American Bar Association (ABA) survey reveals that 26% of firms (with more than 500 attorneys) experienced some sort of data breach in 2016, up from 23% in 2015.

New Edition of Privacy Law Fundamentals

I’m pleased to announce that a new 4th edition of my short guide, PRIVACY LAW FUNDAMENTALS  (IAPP 2017)  (co-authored with Professor Paul Schwartz) is now out in print.  This edition incorporates extensive developments in privacy law and includes an introductory chapter summarizing key new laws, cases and enforcement actions. Privacy Law Fundamentals is designed with […]

A Brief History of Information Privacy Law

I recently updated my book chapter, A Brief History of Information Privacy Law, which appears in the new edition of PLI’s Proskauer on Privacy. This book chapter, originally written in 2006 and updated in 2016, provides a brief history of information privacy law, with a primary focus on United States privacy law. It discusses the development […]

Epilogue to the St. Louis Cardinals Baseball Hacking Case

A while ago, I wrote about a case involving a member of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team staff who improperly accessed a database of the Houston Astros.   There is now an epilogue to report in the case.  The individual who engaged in the illegal access — a scouting director named Chris Correa — […]

The Future of the FTC on Privacy and Security

Co-authored by Professor Woodrow Hartzog The Federal Trade Commission is the most important federal agency regulating privacy and security. Its actions and guidance play a significant role in setting the privacy agenda for the entire country. With the Trump Administration about to take control, and three of the five Commissioner seats open, including the Chairperson, […]

The Digital Person: Technology and Privacy in the Information Age

    I am now offering the full text of my book The Digital Person:  Technology and Privacy in the Information Age (NYU Press 2004) online for FREE download.

The Funniest Hacker Stock Photos 3.0

It’s time for a third installment of the funniest hacker stock photos.  Because I create information security awareness training (and HIPAA security training too), I’m always in the hunt for hacker photos.   There are so many absurd ones that I can make enough Funniest Hacker Stock Photo posts to keep pace with Disney in making […]