Chinese company ByteDance faces growing concerns from governments and regulators that its user data from its popular short video-sharing app TikTok could be handed over to the Chinese government. The concern is based on China’s national security laws which give its government the power to compel Chinese-based companies to hand over any user data. More than
Data Privacy
Data Brokers May be Selling Mental Health Data with Minimal Vetting
A recent study found that some data brokers are selling highly sensitive data relating to consumers’ mental health conditions on the open market with minimal vetting of their customers and few controls on how these purchasers use the data. The study, conducted by a researcher at Duke University’s Technology Policy Lab, found that 11 out…
We Might Be Close to Final CPRA Regulations, with More to Come
The California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) Board will hold its third public hearing on February 3, 2023, at 10 am PST.
The meeting will open with the Chairperson’s Update, during which CPPA Chairperson Jennifer Urban will likely address the status of the delayed California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) regulations. Chairperson Urban is also a…
California Businesses Start 2023 with CPRA Requirements Without Official Regulations
Readers of this blog know that we’ve been closely following the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) rulemaking process. California passed the law in 2020 to update the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 with additional consumer rights and business obligations. The CPRA also established a new government agency, the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA), responsible…
University of Texas at Austin Permanently Blocks TikTok on Network
On Tuesday, January 17, 2023, the University of Texas at Austin announced that it has blocked TikTok access across the university’s networks. According to the announcement to its users, “You are no longer able to access TikTok on any device if you are connected to the university via its wired or WIFI networks.” The measure…
California Businesses Start 2023 with CPRA Requirements without Official Regulations
Readers of this blog know that we’ve been closely following the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) rulemaking process [view related post]. California passed the law in 2020 to update the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 with additional consumer rights and business obligations. The CPRA also established a new government agency, the California Privacy…
Colorado AG Updates Draft Rules for Colorado Privacy Act
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office recently published an updated version of the draft rules governing the Colorado Privacy Act, which goes into effect on July 1, 2023. The updates build upon the original draft rules published on October 10, 2022, and are based on input received by the AG’s office through December 2, 2022.…
California’s “Do Not Track” Mandate Does Not Please Businesses
Since the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) released its draft regulations pursuant to the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), the biggest gripe from businesses has been the website tracking opt-out requirements. Recognition of opt-out requests from consumers could potentially cost companies some significant dollars.
The CPRA amends the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2020 and…
Could Data Brokering Become the New Stock Trading?
The Shanghai Data Exchange, launched in November 2021, is reportedly gearing up to go international. The announcement came from the 2022 Global Data Ecosystem Conference, held in Singapore this November. The Shanghai Data Exchange aims to build “a data factor market” and “promote data capitalization.” Or, in plain terms, it wants to create a stock…
South Dakota Governor Bans State Workers from Using TikTok
It is estimated that some 80 million Americans and more than one billion people use TikTok. It is well known that TikTok has a direct connection to the Chinese Communist Party, which is a foreign adversary of the U.S. This week, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem signed an executive order banning all state workers or…