A new lawsuit filed in Illinois federal court is shining a spotlight on the legal risks tied to AI-powered meeting assistants that offer transcription and speaker identification services on platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams. The complaint, brought by Illinois resident Katelin Cruz, alleges that California-based tech company Fireflies.AI Corp. is illegally harvesting and storing
biometric data
Dashboard Detectives: How Connected Cars Turn Drivers Into Data
Anyone who has purchased a car in the past decade is familiar with the dazzling wave of technology that greets them: giant touchscreens, voice controls, remote start apps. But behind the gleaming infotainment systems and driver-assist cameras, a subtler, more powerful feature has crept into the modern automobile, the ability to observe, record, and report…
Skin360 App Can’t Escape Scrutiny under Illinois Biometric Law
A federal district court has denied a motion by Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (JJCI) to dismiss a second amended complaint alleging it violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) by collecting and storing biometric information through its Neutrogena Skin 360 beauty app without consumers’ informed consent or knowledge. The plaintiffs also allege that…
Neural Data Included in CCPA Amendments
As we outlined in our previous blog article, California recently became the second state to enact a law safeguarding consumer brain data, following a similar law passed by Colorado in April. Both state laws prevent the sale or unauthorized sharing of data generated by consumer neurotechnology products. Under these new state privacy laws, companies…
Voiceprints and Biometric Litigation
According to a report published in March 2022 by Global Market Insights Inc., the global market valuation for voice recognition technology will reach approximately $10 billion by 2028. As we know, many employers prefer and are already using (or considering) voice-powered timekeeping systems over fingerprints, and consumers are using voiceprint technology for health care apps…
Privacy Tip #216 – Another Caution about Biometric Data
Biometric information is unique to each of us, including our fingerprints, voice, face, iris, and DNA. We can’t replace our biometric data like we can a credit card. If it is compromised, it is compromised forever. It is uber sensitive.
Yet, many people give it away without a second thought. Luckily, there are privacy advocates…
Is Your Bed Bugged? Data-Collecting Mattresses and Sleep Apps May Give You Nightmares
When you next lie down to sleep, the bed may not your secrets keep. So-called “smart” beds, mattress pads, sleep apps, and fitness trackers with sleep options are collecting data on those who use them and sending that personal information back to manufacturers. The data gathered can include biometric information (i.e., heart rate, respiration), sleep…