Fashion, beauty, and wearable technology brands are heading into 2026 with a lot more to think about concerning data privacy. What used to feel like a back-end legal issue is now shaping how companies design products, personalize experiences, and build trust with customers. With new state privacy laws taking effect in Indiana, Kentucky, and Rhode
consumer privacy
Privacy Tip #490 – Dating App Hijacks + Repurposes College Student’s TikTok Video
In the category of how technology can be fun, yet dangerous, a 19 year old college student alleges that the dating app Meete took a video she innocently posted on TikTok of her high school graduation, then “overlayed it with graphics advertising the app, and added a voiceover to make it appear she was saying…
CCPA Employee Data Rulemaking Could Reshape Employer Privacy Compliance in California
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) continues to stand apart as the only comprehensive state privacy law in the U.S. that applies to personal information relating to employees, job applicants, and independent contractors. Since that coverage expanded in January 2023, many employers have had to navigate the difficult task of applying a consumer privacy framework…
OpenAI’s New Privacy Filter: A Development with Limits
On April 22, 2026, OpenAI released its new Privacy Filter tool, designed to identify and mask sensitive information in text before that text is stored, shared, or used in downstream processing. OpenAI says the tool can detect items such as names, addresses, account numbers, private dates, and other personal data in documents, logs, and datasets…
Carfax Motion to Dismiss Denied in DPPA Crash-Report Data Sales Case
Carfax, Inc. faced an early loss in a closely-watched privacy case under the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), after a judge in Maryland refused to throw out a proposed class action alleging the company sold drivers’ personal information sourced from crash and vehicle records. The plaintiff alleges that Carfax obtained his DPPA-protected personal information…
Privacy Tip #485 – Preventing Identity Theft
According to Security.org, “every 4.9 seconds, someone becomes a victim of identity theft in the United States” and the Federal Trade Commission receives over 6.4 million reports of identity theft and fraud every year.
Identity theft incidents continue to climb, with the average amount lost reaching $400 per person. The highest number of cases are…
California’s “Shine the Light” Trap: A Simple Request Right with Real Litigation Risk
We know that California has a lot of privacy laws, but the Shine the Light law is one of the oldest in the state, and it still catches businesses off guard because it is not about cookies or ad tech. It’s about who you share customer information with for marketing and what you must disclose when a customer…
When Chats Become Evidence: Court Affirms Order Requiring OpenAI to Produce 20 Million De-Identified ChatGPT Logs
On January 5, 2026, the federal U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York upheld two discovery orders requiring OpenAI to produce a sample of 20 million de-identified user logs from ChatGPT as part of wide-ranging copyright litigation brought by news organizations and class plaintiffs. This decision offers important insights into how federal…
A Wave of CIPA Lawsuits Targets Estée Lauder, Nike, and Luxottica for Online Tracking
California’s strict privacy laws, particularly the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), are fueling a surge in class action lawsuits against major companies over their use of online tracking technologies. In recent weeks, prominent brands including Estée Lauder, Nike, and Luxottica have been hit with proposed class actions in the Northern District of California, all…
CCPA 2026: What Companies Need to Know About California’s Revised Consumer Privacy Rule
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as amended and effective January 1, 2026, brings the most detailed and sweeping changes since the law’s introduction. If you do business in California or handle Californians’ personal information, here’s what your company must know, and do, to avoid compliance risks.
Expanded Privacy Policy and Disclosure Requirements
The updated…